Research Fellow, Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE)

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Research Fellow, Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE)

Cardiff University has recently been awarded a £3m grant from Health and Care Research Wales to establish the Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE). The Centre will bring together multi-disciplinary expertise from across the university, and foster collaboration with experts elsewhere in the UK, to develop cutting-edge research on adult social care, underpinned by substantial UK-level research funding. Dr Paul Willis has been appointed as the first Director of CARE and will take up his post in Autumn 2023.
The development of CARE will be supported by the Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE), which is the largest research centre of its kind in the UK. CARE offices will be located in the university’s new sbarc | spark building. Sbarc | spark is the first social science research park in the world. Part of the university’s £300m Innovation Campus, this purpose-built facility co-locates world-leading social science researchers with organisations and representatives from the public, third and private sectors - some of which are focused on social care - all working together to address the major complex challenges facing societies. 

The Centre is looking for a Research Fellow to lead or work within research projects, to contribute to the research record of the Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE) and Centre for Trials Research (CTR) through commitment to carrying out research leading to the publishing of high-quality research. To pursue excellence in research and to inspire others to do the same.

Responsible to CARE Centre Director

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Paul Willis [email protected] (Director of Centre for Adult Social Care Research).

For an informal discussion about the Centre for Trials Research please contact Professor Mike Robling [email protected].

This post is full-time (35 hours per week), open-ended and available from the 1st January 2024.

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.

Salary: £49,794 - £54,395 per annum (Grade 7).
Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl 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 advert posted: Thursday, 30 November 2023

Closing date: Sunday, 7 January 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.

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

Research

• To independently develop research objectives within adult social care, projects or proposals for own or joint research including research funding acting as a PI as required. To develop research networks through regular national/international conference/seminar presentations
• To generate and pursue independent and original research ideas in the field of adult social care research and support the initiation of new lines of research in related areas
• To disseminate research findings using appropriate and effective national and international publications, research seminars, meetings and conferences
• To build and create networks both internally and externally to the university, to influence decisions   explore future research requirements, and share research ideas for the benefit of research projects
• To supervise and develop other research staff within own research projects
• To provide guidance students in own specialist area, including supervising and assessing undergraduate projects
• To participate in the centres’ research activities.

Other

• To engage effectively with social care sector organisations, professional institutions, service user and carer groups and networks, other academic institutions etc., regionally and nationally to raise awareness of the profile of CARE and CTR, to cultivate strategically valuable alliances, and to pursue opportunities for collaboration across a range of activities. These activities are expected to contribute to the School and the enhancement of its regional and national profile.
• To participate in Centre administration and activities to promote the centres and their work to the wider University and the outside world.
• Line management of other research staff
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Postgraduate degree at PhD level in a related subject area or relevant research experience

An established expertise and proven portfolio of research relevant to adult social care and encompassing mixed methods approaches

Growing national reputation within their academic field

Proven substantial record of publications in national journals and/or other research outputs.

Proven ability to attain competitive research funding along with a strong portfolio of research grants

Proven ability in effective and persuasive communication

Proven ability to lead and develop a research team

Ability to attract MA and PhD students

Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and team-working within work

Desirable Criteria 

• Relevant professional qualification or experience.
• Evidence of collaborations with the social care sector, including service user and carer groups and networks.
• A track record in adult social care research
• Proven ability to work without close supervision
•  Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.
• Evidence of ability to participate in and develop both internal and external networks and utilise them to enhance the teaching and research activities of the centres.
• A willingness to take responsibility for academically related administration.

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria

 It is Cardiff University's policy to use the person specification as a key tool for shortlisting. Therefore, candidates must evidence they meet ALL the essential criteria and, where relevant, the desirable.

As part of the application process, you are asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined in the person specification. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide for each criterion.

 When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure you name it with the vacancy reference number: 17732BR.

Your application will be at risk of not being progressed if you do not evidence you have met all essential criteria. The school welcomes the submission of CVs to accompany evidence of the job-based criteria.

Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test).

Additional Information

Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE) 

The grant to establish CARE covers the following posts, with the expectation of cost recovery from research project grants: Director (Professor), Reader, Senior Research Fellow, Research Fellow, Research Associate, Research Assistant, PhD student, Centre Manager, Public Involvement Officer, Communications and Events Officer, and Centre Administrator. 

CARE’s home school is Cardiff University School of Social Sciences. The School is an inter-disciplinary centre of teaching and research. With strong links with the public and voluntary sectors, it seeks to lead on public and policy debates at international, national, and local levels and is renowned for its innovative scholarship across the social sciences and beyond. Further details of the School's activities may be found on our home page: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/socsi  

The Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research is a key partner in CARE and will be employing two of the research staff. Other Cardiff University schools involved in supporting CARE are Business, Healthcare Sciences, Law, Medicine, and Psychology. 

The Centre for Trials Research is a UKCRC registered clinical trials unit based in Cardiff University, Wales, funded by Health and Care Research Wales and Cancer Research UK. The Centre is dedicated to tackling the big health and social concerns of our time. We work with investigators to produce research evidence for policy leaders, service commissioners and practitioners about treatments and services that may improve the health and wellbeing of the public. The Centre has a long-established record in promoting inclusive research and in producing evidence to support the care of traditionally underserved groups.

Job Category

Academic - Research