Research Co-Ordinator

Advert

Research Co-ordinator
Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

This is an exciting opportunity to take on the new role as the Research Co-ordinator, which will support the University in delivering a new high profile national project in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, co-ordinating and supporting the research team and recruitment of a new cohort, providing advice, guidance and leadership of the project which is funded by the Medical Research Council.  The project is part of a new national initiative for research in severe mental illness and is a large multi-site research study led by Cardiff University in conjunction with Swansea University, Bristol University, Exeter University, Adferiad Recovery and Bipolar UK.
Candidates should have research co-ordination experience, have skills in psychiatric or psychological assessment, be able to demonstrate project management skills as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills. The successful applicant will join the world-leading Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences in Cardiff University
Informal enquiries can be made to Professor James Walters by emailing [email protected]
Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5).  Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.
This post is full time (35 hours per week), available from 1st April 2024 and fixed term until 31st March 2029
You will be based at the Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff.  

The majority of roles at Cardiff University are currently operating under “blended working” arrangements, with staff having the flexibility to work partly from home and partly from the University campus depending on specific business requirements. Discussions around these arrangements can take place after the successful candidate has been appointed.
Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (including bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more.  It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter. 

Date Advertised: 26 March 2024

Closing date: 9 April 2024
Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. 

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University .

Job Description

Job Purpose

Support the University within the delivery of a new high profile national project in severe mental illness, co-ordinating and supporting the research team and recruitment of a new cohort, providing advice and guidance, and leading projects within this area.

Duties and Responsibilities
Key Duties

• Provide professional advice and guidance on participant recruitment.
• Work closely and effectively with academic, third sector and industry collaborators in order to meet the aims of the project.
• Take primary responsibility for the performance, development and line management of the research team of Psychology Assistants.
• Undertake protocol-based assessments, including self-report measures, rating scales, semi-structured interviews with participants and healthcare professionals, and extraction of relevant data from medical records.
• Investigate and analyse specific issues within the project, creating and actioning recommendation reports where applicable, as supported by advances within mental health research.
• Ensure the successful co-ordination of recruitment to the study and that research support is proactively and efficiently delivered to the project, proactively changing delivery methodology according to customer requirements.
• Collaborate with others to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts and develop appropriate communication links within the Division, the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
• Create specific working groups from colleagues across the University to achieve the project’s research objectives.
• Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives.
• Develop and deliver training within the scope of the research of the project collaborating with other research sites involved.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the project.
• Develop and advise on processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, ensuring understanding of complex and conceptual information.
• Instruct and guide other employees across the Division and the University within research site set up and patient recruitment as required.

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education
1. Degree in a field of relevance to mental health research or equivalent Professional membership/experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Substantial experience of working in:

     a) Mental health research
b) Recruiting patients into research studies
c) Co-ordinating research projects
d) Completing protocol based assessments

3. Ability to demonstrate professional knowledge within mental health research to give advice and guidance to internal and external customers.

4. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

5. Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people.

6. Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure delivery of a quality service.

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving.

7. Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity,  identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with range of potential outcomes.

8. Ability to utilise knowledge of key advances in mental health research and project management to refine and improve processes, procedures and service.

9. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress.

Other
10.  A willingness to undertake further training and development.

Desirable Criteria

11.  Postgraduate/Professional qualification and Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.
12.  Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.
13.  Experience of working with individuals with a history of mental illness and neurodevelopmental disorders.
14.  Experience of administering clinical assessments such as the Schedules of Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) or other psychiatric research semi-structured interviews.
15.   A good understanding of confidentiality and data security.

Additional Information

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria

Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable criteria.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure when submitting this document / attaching it to you application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number, in this instance, 18283BR.

Job Category

Academic - Research, Medical & Dental