Fully funded PhD studentship funded by Manchester City Football Club

Employer/Organisation: Bangor University

Location: Bangor University/Manchester

Contract type: Full time

Contract duration: Fixed term

Salary/Bursary: approx. £16,000 per annum stipend plus tuition fees and research training grant

Full description:

Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD studentship funded by Manchester City Football Club and Bangor University. The position will start on 1st April 2022. 

Supervisors: Professor Tim Woodman, Dr James Hardy, Dr Ross Roberts, Dr Stuart Beattie, Dr Andy Cooke (Bangor University), David Young (Manchester City Football Club). 

Project rationale and description: Young athletes face multiple challenges as they navigate through their sport development. This project will focus specifically on the in-depth understanding of how the triad of player-coach-parent communication interacts in its effect on player well-being and performance. The aim of the project is to help all parties understand and enhance these relationships to best effect. 

Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) is part of the City Football Group, a leading owner of football related businesses in major cities around the world. MCFC club operates a category one academy, which represents the highest possible level of youth football in England. This academy is home to players from the under-9 to under-23 age groups. It is the ambition of MCFC to be football’s most progressive and engaging environment that develops talented players. At the core of this vision is the club’s ambition to better understand and support player welfare in concert with performance excellence. 

Facilities: The project is part of a longstanding partnership between MCFC and Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP), which is housed within Bangor University’s School of Human & Behavioural Sciences (HBS). The Sport, Health & Exercise laboratories (SHES) in HBS offer access to outstanding facilities for the full range of sports science research. SHES is situated on the shores of the Menai Strait next to the stunning Snowdonia National Park. 

Requirements: The successful applicant will have an undergraduate and/or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. sport science, psychology, medical sciences), with a strong background in research methods and statistics. A strong work ethic and a genuine enthusiasm for research and applied practice are essential, as is the ability to work both independently and cooperatively. 

Residency requirements: This studentship is open to UK students only. 

General information: PhD students are expected to contribute to teaching in the School of Human & Behavioural Sciences. 

Further information: In the first instance, please contact Professor Tim Woodman (t.woodman@bangor.ac.uk) or David Young (david.young@mancity.com) to discuss your application. Please include your CV and brief summary of your research interests. The interview date will likely be in early March 2022, at the City Football Academy in Manchester. 

General enquiries: For general advice about applications and eligibility, please contact sshes@bangor.ac.uk 

Apply Now: The online application form is available here https://apps.bangor.ac.uk/applicant/.

Bangor Doctoral School website: https://apps.bangor.ac.uk/applicant/.