Research Assistant

Hours: Part time hours considered up to a maximum of 0.8 FTE

Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).

Location: Brighton, United Kingdom

Contract: fixed term until 31 August 2025

Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.

Expected Interview date: TBC

Expected start date: 1st July 2024

Brighton and Sussex Medical School is looking to recruit a Research Assistant to support an exciting new project focused on public health intervention for young women who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) living in coastal areas in the UK. The project aims to explore the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of a hope-focused intervention. The intervention is based on the principles of hope theory and combines strengths-spotting, goal-setting, and creative arts elements. The intervention is designed to be supported using a novel youth-initiated mentor approach. The project will involve working with local and unitary authority and charity partners to identify these young women and involve them in the trial. The project has a geographic focus on deprived coastal regions in southern and eastern England. The trial involves a mixed-methods process evaluation.

The postholder will be supervised by the Trial Manager, who reports to the overall project lead, Dr Clio Berry. The postholder will support the day-to-day co-ordination of the trial. The postholder will support local/unitary authorities and charities to identify and refer young women to participate in the trial. The postholder will engage young women, invite consent, and perform screening assessments via phone, videoconferencing, and in-person meetings. The postholder will support young women to complete baseline and follow-up assessments. The postholder will collect and enter data, and report accurate recruitment and assessment figures. The trial is based within a small, friendly and research active department within Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The postholder will be supported with their professional development, including opportunities for training.

The successful candidate should have a relevant degree and/or equivalent experience, for example gained in working on large and/or complex health or education research projects. The successful candidate will require good communication and presentation skills, together with the ability to organise themselves and work to targets. The successful candidate will have some understanding of the randomised controlled trial approach. The candidate should have personal experience of supporting vulnerable young people and/or professional experience of working with this group in a research, clinical, or support capacity.

The role is to be contracted for 14 months in the first instance as this covers the feasibility phase of the project. Assuming feasibility, the role would be extended for another 2.5 to 3.5 years. Job-share can be considered. A proportion of remote working can be considered.

Please contact Dr Clio Berry [email protected]  for informal enquiries.

The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.

“Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship.”

For full details and how to apply please click the 'Apply' button, above.

www.brighton.ac.uk/jobs      www.bsms.ac.uk

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Please note: The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed from the UK.