Research Associate

Fixed Term Contract to January 2028

Background                                    

The Department of Applied Health Sciences is looking to appoint a versatile mixed-methods Research Associate with experience of mental health research to evaluate children and young peoples’ NHS services.

Peer support, using the lived experience and skills of people with a history of mental health problems to help people in similar circumstances, is being increasingly used in mental health services. Peer support is widely regarded to improve children’s hope for recovery, empowerment and access to mental health services. However, peer support does not appear to work for everyone equally.

In collaboration with Forward Thinking Birmingham NHS mental health services, colleagues in the Institute for Mental Health and other partners, our research aims to evaluate how peer support for children and young people in mental health services works for different people in different circumstances. In doing so, the post holder would create knowledge to develop and adapt interventions to improve patient care.

This post is supported by a recently funded National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Advanced Fellowship.

Role Summary

This role provides an opportunity for a passionate mental health researcher to:

• Work closely with NHS mental health services and other partners to evaluate and improve children and young peoples’ mental health peer support
• Deliver innovative mixed methods research through data collection, analysis and publication

The post holder will have contact with service users in mental health services including though not limited to early intervention psychosis and specialist eating disorder teams; mentorship from consultant psychiatrist/clinical psychologists; opportunity to learn advanced research methods; and support to develop proposals for further research funding applications.

Main Duties

• Collect research data through a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods such as literature review, patient reported outcomes, observations, and interviews with service users
• Analyse and interpret data
• Facilitate meetings with service users, staff and other stakeholders to develop and implement interventions to improve patient care
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for peer reviewed journals and conferences
• Disseminate research progress and findings directly to the public at local events and via traditional and social media

Person Specification

• Honours degree relevant to mental health or equivalent demonstrable experience in relevant discipline
• Knowledge and preferably experience of mixed methods evaluation in mental health or applied health research including quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
• Knowledge of and preferably experience of designing and implementing interventions with service users and healthcare professionals
• Experience of working with mental health professionals and services users including children and their parents in mental health or related settings
• High level analytical capability

DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Dean Thompson, email: d.m.thompson@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position & submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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We value diversity & inclusion at the University of Birmingham & welcome applications from all sections of the community & are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

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