Student Casual - Research Summer Intern Driving Dietary Change Strategic Levers for Sustainable and Healthy Food System - Birmingham Business School - Grade 2 -
Student Casual - Research Summer Intern Driving Dietary Change Strategic Levers for Sustainable and Healthy Food System - Birmingham Business School - Grade 2 -
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Job Description
Position Details
School or Department: Birmingham Business School
Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK
Grade/Band: Grade 2
Hourly rate: 12.69 per hour plus holiday entitlement
Casual contract from: 30/06/2025 6/8 weeks
Advert closing date: 11/05/2025 23.59 p.m.
Number of positions available: 2
Please note that this vacancy may be taken down early depending on the number of applications received. We advise you to submit your application promptly.
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond support them to succeed and celebrate their success.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we areand how we work.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus including main bus routes and a train station on campus we have a stateoftheart sports centre with pool shopsplaces to eat and drinkour own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham
Background to the internship
Birmingham Business School (BBS) is offering paid research internships for Business School undergraduates interested in gaining experience as research assistants on projects being undertaken by BBS academics. There are 8 research projects available to apply to all of which are listed on WorkLink (please visit each individual advert is see the full details of the project). You can apply to more than one if you are interested in multiple projects.
Research interns will work closely with the relevant academic(s) and will be supported to undertake a range of research tasks. Depending on the skillset of the selected students and the needs of the projects such tasks may include assisting with literature searches and literature reviews; assisting with the collection and/or analysis of primary research data; analysing data from existing data sets creating and maintaining one resources; summary project results etc.
If specific training is required for the internship this will be provided and delivered by the lead academic.
There will be additional skills/experience requirements for some specific opportunities are particularly suited to students who feel they might wish to pursue a career in academic research or are curious about academic research BBS UG students (including finalists) can apply for these are however particularly keen to receive applications from students from backgrounds underrepresented in academia.
Background to the Academic Researcher providing the project
Dr Liza Jabbour is Codeputy director of the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Birmingham and an Associate Professor of economics at the Birmingham Business School. Her research focuses on the interplay between international economics innovation and sustainability. She is known for her work on the impact of the global value chains of production and knowledge. Her more recent research analyses how global value chains can accelerate the transition to a green economy and support the achievement of the SDGs.
Dr Helen Onyeaka is an industrial microbiologist with over 25 years of experience. Her career in microbiology to date has been varied with experience gained in industry as well as academia. She is Codeputy director of the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Birmingham and an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering. Her research interests include sustainability in food systems and food safety.
Dr Taghi Miri is is a Chemical Engineer with over 20 years of research experience. Dr Miris has been involved with a number of different industries including Marlow Food CSM Bakery Mondelez P&G Smithers Rapra. His research interests include Plantbased food processing and safety
Novel Food Processing to enhance the safety and shelf life of food and Circular Economy Food Waste Valorisation
Main Duties
This is an interdisciplinary project in collaboration with the School of Chemical Engineering.
The project focuses on the strategic and behavioural dimensions of promoting sustainable dietary transitions particularly the move towards plantbased eating as a means of addressing the twin challenges of climate change and public health.
Food systems are highly complex influenced by multiple stakeholders across value chainsfrom producers to retailers regulators and consumers. Addressing sustainability in this space requires more than innovation; it needs behavioural insight clear market signals and effective policy alignment.
Climate change is already affecting global food production nutritional security and trade patterns. At the same time the global food system contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. Transitioning to more plantbased diets can significantly reduce the climate impact of food consumption while improving longterm health outcomes. However consumer perceptions food marketing and affordability still pose challenges.
This project will assess the market behavioural and regulatory drivers that shape dietary choices with a focus on identifying strategic levers that can accelerate sustainable dietary shifts in an inclusive way. It will evaluate current trends in plantbased food adoption consumer trust and confusion around product labelling (e.g. plantbased natural ultraprocessed) and analyse how firms and policy bodies can work together to support healthy transitions without deepening inequalities.
The main output will be a scoping paper that reviews the business consumer and regulatory perspectives on plantbased dietary transitions. The paper will identify key knowledge gaps and opportunities for strategic intervention serving as a springboard for further interdisciplinary research and funding proposals.
Person Specification
- A current undergraduate student at the University of Birmingham
- Good writing skills
- Skills in conducting literature reviews
Support provided for the internship
This project is a great opportunity for students interested in sustainability and climate action. The interdisciplinary nature of the project will allow students to explore a topic from different disciplinary perspective and to work with researchers from different schools. Interdisciplinary research is very important to tackle grand challenges like climate change and sustainability.
The PIs will work closely with the students on the project and will mentor the students on how to conduct scoping reviews and how to write research papers. The project is therefore an opportunity for students to enhance their research methods skills and their writing skills. These skills are valuable for academic performance particularly for dissertation projects.
For any informal queries please contact Kam Manku
View our staff values and behaviourshere
Valuing excellence sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.
The University of Birmingham restricts all students to working up to 20 hours per week during term time. If your application is successful and your course does not follow the usual academic term timetable (e.g. PGT PGR or PhD student) you and your supervisor must formally agree vacation periods if this role exceeds 20 hours per week. In addition to this please be aware if you are an International student you will be required to apply to the Registry for the appropriate Authorised Absence.
You are only eligible to apply to this role if you are a current University of Birmingham student. If you are not a University of Birmingham student your application will not be considered.
To work you will need to carry out a right to work checks will need to be completed prior to work commencing.
Required Experience:
Intern
Employment Type
Part-Time
