Qualitative Research Associate/Assistant

European Commission; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

This role offers an exciting opportunity as a Qualitative Research Associate/Assistant at King's College London, focused on a groundbreaking trial for anorexia nervosa and depression. It provides engagement in qualitative research to improve mental health experiences, ideal for a candidate with a strong research background and passion for mental health issues.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in relevant field required.
• Experience with qualitative interviews and analysis essential.
• Knowledge of research governance for mental health projects.

Responsibilities

• Conduct qualitative interviews with participants.
• Analyze qualitative data for the EDEN trial.
• Collaborate closely with research leads.

Skills

Qualitative methods

Interviewing

Data analysis

Research governance

Education

PhD in a relevant discipline

MSc in a relevant field

Tools

NVivo

Job description

Organisation/Company KINGS COLLEGE LONDON Research Field Psychological sciences Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) First Stage Researcher (R1) Established Researcher (R3) Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 7 Aug 2025 - 00:00 (UTC) Type of Contract Other Job Status Part-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

About us:

The post provides an exciting opportunity for a Qualitative Research Associate/Assistant to be part of a thriving centre for qualitative research that uses rigorous and innovative methods to understand and improve the experiences of people with mental health problems. The successful candidate will join the Qualitative Research Group in the Health Services & Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, and be affiliated with the QUAHRC and the Section of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, led by Professor Ulrike Schmidt. The postholder will work closely with Dr Vanessa Lawrence, Professor of Qualitative Health Research and Director of the Qualitative Applied Health Research Centre (QUAHRC) at Kings and Dr Hubertus Himmerich, Reader in Eating Disorder (Principal Investigator of EDEN).

About the role:

We would like to invite applications for a Qualitative Research Associate/Assistant to work on a single-centre Medical Research Council funded feasibility study (the “EDEN” trial) to examine the feasibility, safety and tolerability, and acceptability of a randomised controlled trial of ketamine vs placebo for people with anorexia nervosa and treatment-resistant depression. If this feasibility study is successful, we will apply for a larger RCT to test the clinical efficacy of ketamine in this patient group. As part of the EDEN study, the postholder will be responsible for conducting qualitative interviews with people with anorexia and severe depression, and carers, around treatment experiences, expectations and reasons for drop-out.

The post provides an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate/Assistant to be part of a thriving centre for qualitative research that uses rigorous and innovative methods to understand and improve the experiences of people with mental health problems. The successful candidate will join the Qualitative Applied Health Research Centre (QUAHRC) in the Health Services & Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, and be affiliated with the Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, led by Professor Ulrike Schmidt. The postholder will work closely with Professor Vanessa Lawrence, Professor in Qualitative Health Research and Director of the QUAHRC at Kings and Dr Hubertus Himmerich, Reader in Eating Disorder (Principal Investigator of EDEN).

This is a part time post (21 hours per week/60% FTE), and you will be offered a 12-month fixed term contract with the possibility of renewal for another 12 months.

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

• PhD in a relevant discipline (or MSc in a relevant field for Grade 5/Assistant level)
• Enthusiasm for using qualitative methods that prioritise the lived experience of people with mental health problems and those that support them
• Experience of recruiting participants to research studies
• Experience of conducting qualitative interviews
• Knowledge and skills in analysing qualitative data
• Experience of writing up qualitative data
• Ability to use initiative and autonomy in the management of day to day tasks and ongoing workloads, to ensure they are prioritised and completed within agreed timeframes
• Ability to write high quality peer review publications
• Experience of working with people with eating disorders
• Experience of conducting qualitative interviews with people with mental health problems
• Experience of using the Framework Approach
• Skills in using qualitative software (e.g. NVivo)
• Understanding of ethical and research governance requirements for mental health research

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information:

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

We arenotable to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.

Grade and Salary:Grade 5: £38,482 - £43,249 per annum (pro rata) including London Weighting Allowance / Grade 6: £44,355 - £49,128 per annum (pro rata) including London Weighting Allowance

Job ID:119685

Close Date:07-Aug-2025

Contact Person:Vanessa Lawrence

Contact Details:[e-mail]