Postgraduate Research Assistant

About us 

The Department of Global Health & Social Medicine (GHSM) at King’s College London is a vibrant, interdisciplinary community of students, teachers, and researchers dedicated to understanding the complex social, political, and economic determinants of health, illness, and aging.

Founded in 2012 (formerly known as the Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine), GHSM is ranked among the top 10 sociology departments in the UK. Our internationally recognized expertise informs policy development, consultancy work, and global health initiatives, positioning us as a key contributor to debates on health and social justice.

At GHSM, we bridge the gap between social sciences, biomedical research, and clinical practice, delivering research-led teaching and cutting-edge scholarship. Our work examines how advances in biomedicine, biotechnology, and global health policies reshape expectations of life and health, as well as the evolving nature of medical practice.

This position is part of the Transitions Project (http://transitionsproject.co.uk), a Wellcome Trust funded initiative investigating the historical and political dimensions of psychiatric deinstitutionalization (PDI) in South America.

King’s College London is one of the world's leading research-intensive universities, committed to academic excellence and social impact.  

About the role 

We are seeking a Postgraduate Research Assistant (PhD Candidate) to contribute to the Transitions Project by researching the transformation of psychiatric deinstitutionalization (PDI) policies and their role in shaping contemporary global mental health governance. The project focuses on how mental health reforms evolved from localized efforts in Western Europe and the USA into a global policy model influencing Latin America.

The candidate will be responsible for archival research, oral history interviews, and documentary analysis, working closely with international scholars, policymakers, and institutions engaged in mental health policy. This role provides opportunities for publication in high-impact journals, presentation at international conferences, and participation in interdisciplinary research initiatives at King’s and beyond.

Supervised by Dr. Cristian Montenegro, Senior Lecturer at GHSM, the successful candidate will work within a dynamic research environment and contribute to critical debates in global mental health policy.

This is a full-time post (100% FTE) and is offered on a fixed-term contract until 1 Dec 2028, in the first instance.

About you

We are looking for a motivated candidate with a strong background in the historical and/or sociological of mental health policy. The ideal applicant will have a keen interest in psychiatric deinstitutionalization in historical and global perspective. 

Essential Criteria 

• Possession or near completion of a Master’s degree in Sociology, History, Anthropology, Political Science, Public Health, or a related field.
• Experience in oral history interviews and archival research.
• Knowledge of qualitative research methods, including documentary analysis.
• Fluency in English (spoken and written).
• An incipient or growing track record of academic writing, such as MSc theses, reports, working papers, or early publications.
• Ability to conduct independent research and manage research data effectively.
• Strong ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and international stakeholders.
• Commitment to ethical research practices and knowledge of research integrity standards.

Desirable Criteria 

• Proficiency in Portuguese, Spanish, and/or Italian.
• Interest in the global history of psychiatry, particularly in the Latin American context.
• Experience in interdisciplinary research combining social sciences and health policy.
• Familiarity with archival collections relevant to the study of psychiatric reform.
• Engagement with international organizations such as WHO, PAHO, or NGOs working on mental health policies.

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