Research Associate in Optical Methods for Stratification of Women at Risk of Pre-term Birth
| Posting date: | 06 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 15 February 2026 |
| Location: | Sheffield, S10 2TN |
| Company: | University of Sheffield |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 2173-43953970 |
Summary
University of Sheffield
This is an exciting opportunity to explore novel methods for predicting pre-term birth, working at the engineering/medicine interface under the supervision of Professors Stephen Matcher and Dilly Anumma. You will be responsible for exploring the clinical practicality and accuracy of a cervical scanning probe, based on optical coherence tomography, for stratifying pregnant women according to their risk of preterm birth. The post will involve supporting clinical trials of the device, within the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, analysing the results and reporting on the device performance. Close work with a clinician will be required during the clinical sessions.
You will require excellent communication and interpersonal skills, combined with extensive knowledge of the academic opportunities for predicting the risk of pre-term birth. Prior experience with biophotonics tools, especially optical coherence tomography, is highly desirable as is a demonstrable interest in the use of novel technology to predict pre-term birth risk.
The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) belongs to the prestigious Faculty of Engineering. We are one of the largest academic communities of engineers in the UK, ranked joint 1st for Research Environment in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)! Our specific field (EEE) is also ranked very highly, which is a marker of our excellence and ambition (QS 2024: 11th in UK, The Guardian 2024: 3rd, The Times Higher 2024: 7th in the UK).
We are home to several national institutes and centres, for example:
● The National Epitaxy Facility
● The National 6G Radio Systems Facility
● Rolls-Royce Control, Monitoring and Systems Engineering University Technology Centre
We strive to conduct fundamental research and innovation to address global challenges, as well as support the education of the next generation of engineers.
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable and inclusive place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a generous annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pension scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.
Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/benefits and join us to become part of something special!
This is an exciting opportunity to explore novel methods for predicting pre-term birth, working at the engineering/medicine interface under the supervision of Professors Stephen Matcher and Dilly Anumma. You will be responsible for exploring the clinical practicality and accuracy of a cervical scanning probe, based on optical coherence tomography, for stratifying pregnant women according to their risk of preterm birth. The post will involve supporting clinical trials of the device, within the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, analysing the results and reporting on the device performance. Close work with a clinician will be required during the clinical sessions.
You will require excellent communication and interpersonal skills, combined with extensive knowledge of the academic opportunities for predicting the risk of pre-term birth. Prior experience with biophotonics tools, especially optical coherence tomography, is highly desirable as is a demonstrable interest in the use of novel technology to predict pre-term birth risk.
The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) belongs to the prestigious Faculty of Engineering. We are one of the largest academic communities of engineers in the UK, ranked joint 1st for Research Environment in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)! Our specific field (EEE) is also ranked very highly, which is a marker of our excellence and ambition (QS 2024: 11th in UK, The Guardian 2024: 3rd, The Times Higher 2024: 7th in the UK).
We are home to several national institutes and centres, for example:
● The National Epitaxy Facility
● The National 6G Radio Systems Facility
● Rolls-Royce Control, Monitoring and Systems Engineering University Technology Centre
We strive to conduct fundamental research and innovation to address global challenges, as well as support the education of the next generation of engineers.
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable and inclusive place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a generous annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pension scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.
Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/benefits and join us to become part of something special!