Research Assistant

Position Overview
We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Research Assistant to support a research project focused on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in obesity, with particular emphasis on weight bias, stigma, and their impact on health. The successful candidate will contribute to both a scoping review and the development of an original scientific manuscript.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute high-sensitivity, domain-specific search strategies for scoping reviews on weight bias/stigma and patient-reported outcomes, including optimisation of text-word (tw) approaches for poorly indexed constructs (e.g., stigma, discrimination, lived experience), in alignment with Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) standards. 
• Lead the development and operationalisation of inclusion/exclusion frameworks tailored to stigma-related research, including the systematic differentiation between experienced, perceived, and internalised weight bias, and their associations with physical and psychosocial health outcomes. 
• Conduct advanced data extraction and evidence mapping across heterogeneous study designs (quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods), with a specific focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and patient-reported experiences (PREs), ensuring conceptual clarity and consistency across diverse measurement approaches. 
• Perform critical appraisal and comparative analysis of PROMs and PREMs used in obesity and stigma research, including evaluation of psychometric robustness, conceptual validity, and alignment with patient-centred and stigma-informed frameworks, an area requiring highly specialised expertise. 
• Contribute to the integration of evidence into mechanistic and conceptual models linking weight stigma to health outcomes (e.g., behavioural, psychosocial, and biological pathways), and support the drafting of high-impact scientific manuscripts and structured evidence tables in accordance with PRISMA-ScR and international obesity research standards.

Key Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Qualified dietitian with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Nutrition.
• Advanced training in the modern science of obesity from accredited/recognised institutions.
• Demonstrated research experience in obesity, patients reported outcomes and experiences, weight bias and stigma, or related fields.
• Strong commitment to patient-centred and evidence-based approaches.
• Ability to work independently with a high level of autonomy and organisation.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and critical appraisal skills.

Expected Competencies

• Precision, reactivity, and innovation in task execution.
• Strong understanding of evidence-based practice in obesity care and research.
• Capacity to deliver work of high scientific quality within tight timelines.

Gender Equality

The LIH is an equal opportunities employer. We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff. The LIH is attentive to gender representation among its leadership staff and aims to eliminate obstacles to the recruitment and promotion of female leaders and their career development.