Research Assistant (Sport & Sports Turf)

29.6 hours per week, 4 days a week.

Fixed term January 2020 to January 2021.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work on a collaborative research project between University Centre Myerscough and the R&A.

The R&A governs golf worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, with the consent of 156 organisations from amateur and professional golf, and on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 143 countries. While University Centre Myerscough has developed an enviable track record for producing high quality golf related research, which supports the industry and contributes to the wider academic knowledge base.

This project is part of the R&A’s Golf Course 2030 Strategy, an industry initiative to consider the impacts of the changing climate, resource constraints and regulation on course condition and playability. The aim is to provide a coherent and consistent set of real world standards for various areas of the golf course environment, including, for example, tees, fairways, green aprons, rough. Much of the current research focuses on the greens themselves, and there is little known about other areas of the course. This is particularly important given the amount of land dedicated to such areas, and currently it appears golf greens are overly prioritised.

This research will draw together an agreed standard of provision and associated measurement methods. Such measures will then be subjected to a number of field tests in the golf environment, to ensure the validity of protocols and equipment to a cross section of clubs and managers. The research will also seek to engage golf industry personal with the R&A’s GC2030 project and, importantly, produce practical guidelines on how golf clubs can be maintained in the context of challenges including climate change, resource constraints (such as water shortages) and regulation.

This role will be to undertake research-related tasks to the standards and objectives of the research project, which will include literature reviews, development of questionnaires, and field based tests. It is essential that you have an Undergraduate Degree (or equivalent) in a Sport related discipline and GCSE English or maths at Grade C or above (or equivalent). You will also need previous experience of independent research, gained through degree level study or equivalent and qualitative research experience.

It is anticipated that interviews will take place on Wednesday 18th December 2019.

The College is committed to safeguarding and promotes the welfare of all learners and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Please apply via the link.