Part-funded, full-time postgraduate research degree

MScR Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences

Organisations: University of Edinburgh and Motherwell Football Club

Location: Motherwell FC training locations and Moray House School of Education and Sport (Holyrood, Edinburgh)

Contract type: Part-funded, full-time postgraduate research degree; £5000 scholarship

Contract length: July 2026 to August 2027

Key dates

• Project application and scholarship close – 12pm on 25^th May 2026

• Interviews will be held w/c 22^nd June 2026. Successful applicant will be notified by the end of that week.

• The successful applicant will be required to submit their research proposal and programme application before 12pm on 17^thJuly 2026, pending approval from the supervision team and admissions.

  Project description

  In partnership with Motherwell Football Club, a Masters by Research (MScR) project in the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences at the University of Edinburgh has been developed. Coordinated within the Academy of Sport and the Human Performance Science Research Group, this programme of work will provide the successful applicant with exposure to sports science support in a professional football academy and research opportunities at a world-leading university.

  The focus of the project is to characterise loading of youth academy players, and consider stages by which appropriate development can be made up to First Team football. This will be framed from an interdisciplinary perspective, and consider broader sports science perspectives around player development.

  The project will involve full-time in-person postgraduate research (PGR) study, with time dedicated each week to working in the boy’s academy at Motherwell FC as an Academy Sports Scientist (applicants must have the right to live in the United Kingdom). It is important to note that with PGR study, there are no taught elements, but the successful applicant will be supervised through the project. The supervisory team will consist of Dr Ali Pearson and Professor Tony Turner.

Applicant profile

• Minimum 2:1 degree award in a sports science subject or related area

• Previous experience of working as a sports science practitioner, ideally within a professional football environment

• Holds (or working towards or is willing to gain) relevant sports science-related qualifications (e.g., coaching badges) or accreditation(s) (e.g., UKSCA)

• Academically minded, with awareness for research-related practice and process

• Understanding of key principles related to the project (critical areas include load and physical preparation, analysis of performance, interdisciplinarity in sports science)

• Awareness of contemporary literature and able to identify gaps within published work

• IT literate; able to use desktop packages (e.g., Microsoft Office, iWork Suite) and proficient with data analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Jamovi)

• Experience with sports science hardware and software (e.g., Catapult GPS, VALD systems (Nordbord, Forceframe, Force Plates), Microsoft Excel and PowerBI)

• High attention to detail

• Proactive in approach to work and learning

• Willing to work flexibly as required within the project

• Able to manage a large workload professionally

• Committed to developing and producing the best quality of work

• Able to work independently and as part of a team, and build relationships with key stakeholders (supervisors, relevant coaching staff, players)

• The successful applicant will be required to complete a PVG check

  Application process

• 1. To apply, please send a one-page document detailing what you view as research and practice priorities in physical development of footballers within academy football, and what project you would conduct to assess or examine these priorities. This should be underpinned by examples of relevant published research. Please also include CV detailing your expertise and experiences and send to Dr Ali Pearson (Teaching Fellow in Applied Sport Science - alastair.pearson@ed.ac.uk) and Graeme Henderson (Head of Performance - graeme.henderson@motherwellfc.co.uk) by 12pm on 25^th May 2026.

  a. Please also apply for the scholarship via the webform by 12pm on 25^th May 2026.

  2. Applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted with details of the interview by 12^th June 2026. Interviews will be held w/c 22^nd June 2026, and details of the interview will be shared with the shortlisted applicants.

  3. The successful applicant will be notified post-interview by the end of w/c 22^nd June 2026.

  4. The application will then need to apply for the MScR Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences programme by 12pm on 17^th July 2026*.

  * Details regarding this will be discussed with the successful applicant, with relevant support provided to aid the application process.