Research Associate

Interview Date: Thursday 22 August 2024

Applicant Visa Guidance: Skilled Worker visa: guidance for applicants (bath.ac.uk)

About the role

We are seeking to recruit a Part Time Research Associate post to support the programme of work that we are leading on from Bath. It will primarily involve working with large datasets to explore psychosocial factors in the change states and transitions in chronic pain. As the role will require the analysis of existing large multi-wave longitudinal datasets, a good level of understanding of, and familiarity with, appropriate statistical methods will be required. It will require skills and experience in quantitative data analysis. The role may also involve supporting in the collection of new data from participants. At Bath there is a focus on cognitive, emotional and behavioural factors in pain, and studies may include both laboratory-based, as well as clinical pain investigations. There is the possibility of including digital data capture methods, such as online experiments, to measure pain.

The Bath Centre for Pain Research (BCPR) at the University of Bath is the home to a team of interdisciplinary researchers that investigate the effect that pain has on people’s lives. It has a focus on exploring the way psychological and social factors impact on pain, and how this understanding might translate into better ways to manage painful conditions. The core areas of work are in: cognitive processes in pain, social factors, child and family, evidence-based medicine and digital development.

The Centre is leading a multi-institutional consortium (CRIISP) that seeks to better understand how psychosocial mechanisms impact on chronic pain. It will also explore how these factors might work alongside biology, in order to provide a better understanding of pain and how it is managed. The consortium is funded under the Advanced Pain Discovery Platform programme, which is part of a new joint and equal investment of £14 million by UKRI and Versus Arthritis. For UKRI, the initiative is led by the Medical Research Council, with support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

You will need to take an active part in the work of the consortium including through participation at events and workshops, providing support and advice in keeping with their role and level of appointment, as well as engaging with patient and public focus groups and other stakeholders. 

This role is offered on a part time (29.2 hours per week) fixed term basis with an expected end date of 31/12/2025.

About you 

You will need to take an active part in the work of the consortium including through participation at events and workshops, providing support and advice in keeping with their role and level of appointment, as well as engaging with patient and public focus groups and other stakeholders.

• A PhD degree in a subject area of direct relevance for the project e.g. psychology.
• Experience working with large cohort datasets and skilled in advanced data analysis (e.g., longitudinal, multi-wave data).
• Excellent oral, interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of relevant governance issues in health/clinical psychology research.
• Experimental and/or clinical health research design and methods skills.

For informal discussions please contact Professor Ed Keogh on pssemk@bath.ac.uk or Dr Sarah Eliot on se369@bath.ac.uk

This post is subject to basic Disclosure and Barring Clearance, which will be processed by the University. 

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