Network Research Manager

Reading; Reading; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Reading’s Pain Research Reading (PRR) network seeks a Network Research Manager to coordinate interdisciplinary pain research across the university and NHS partners. The role focuses on project setup, data management, grant support, and impact outputs to accelerate high quality translational research.

You will lead events, contribute to ethical applications, and support early career researchers while building collaborations across clinical and academic settings.

Qualifications

• This role requires a postgraduate qualification in psychology, biology, medical or health sciences.
• Experience coordinating research projects or teams and contributing to grant applications.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate multiple concurrent research projects across University and NHS settings.
• Prepare ethics applications and liaise with central services.
• Support data management, analysis, and dissemination of results.
• Lead PRR events including the annual conference and coordinate outreach.

Skills

Organisational skills

Written communication

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Project coordination

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Psychology/Biology/Medical or Health Sciences

Tools

IRAS/HRA processes

Job description

Fixed term for up to 5 years, tapering FTE: Year 1 x 1.0 FTE; Year 2 x 0.9 FTE; Years 3 & 4 x 0.8 FTE; Year 5 x 0.7 FTE

Pain Research Reading (PRR) is seeking an ambitious and highly organised Network Research Manager to play a central role in driving forward an expanding programme of interdisciplinary pain research across the University of Reading and the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. This is a unique opportunity to join a research network at the forefront of translational pain science, working across academic and clinical environments to accelerate high quality research, enhance impact, and support the development of the next generation of pain researchers.

You will be embedded within the Pain Management Working Group, a cross institutional team comprising academic researchers, clinical academics, PhD students and postdoctoral scientists. You will coordinate multiple concurrent research projects, streamline research processes, and contribute directly to new grant applications, research outputs, and impact case studies. The role is central to PRR’s strategic aims: strengthening research capacity, enhancing visibility, and enabling efficient, high quality delivery of pain focused research.

You will take a leading role in supporting project set up and delivery across University and NHS settings, including preparing ethics applications, liaising with central services, and ensuring smooth progression from study design through to dissemination. You will contribute to data management and analysis where appropriate, support manuscript preparation, and help coordinate evidence capture for impact case studies. You will also play a key part in developing PRR’s research culture by supporting early career researchers and facilitating collaborative opportunities.

Alongside research coordination, you will lead the organisation of PRR events, including the annual PRR conference, and contribute to the network’s digital presence, outreach activities, and public and patient engagement initiatives.

Key requirements

• A postgraduate qualification in Psychology, Biology, Medical or Health Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Experience working within a research environment, ideally including pain research or adjacent clinical/scientific fields.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with experience coordinating research projects or teams.
• Excellent written communication skills, including experience contributing to research outputs such as publications or grant applications.
• Ability to work effectively across interdisciplinary teams, engaging confidently with academic, clinical and professional stakeholders.
• Understanding of health research processes and governance, with the ability to support studies from set up to dissemination.

Desirable skills

• Experience working with NHS or clinical research environments, including familiarity with IRAS/HRA processes.
• Experience supporting grant development.
• Skills in qualitative research, neuroscientific or biological data handling, or experience with brain imaging or phlebotomy datasets.
• Experience supporting early career researchers or facilitating collaborative research activities.
• Experience in event organisation, public engagement, or digital communications (websites, social media).

This five year fixed term role (with tapered FTE) offers an exceptional opportunity to contribute to a high impact, interdisciplinary research network with strong clinical partnerships. You will gain experience across research coordination, grant development and strategic network building, with opportunities to contribute to collaborative projects, and PRR’s long term research strategy.

Contact: Dr Maria Maiaru, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pain Research, [e-mail]

Alternative Contact: Prof Darius Widera, Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, [e-mail]

This role will be subject to DBS Standard check. Please see these links for information Safeguarding and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Procedure

£37,369 to £39,560 per annum, pro rata. Grade 6