Research Assistant

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a Research Assistant to support the QUEST trial in Cambridge. The role involves traveling to mental health clinics, collecting data from participants with borderline personality disorder, and maintaining an external database. Candidates should possess strong interpersonal skills, a degree in health or social science, and relevant experience in mental health settings. The position offers a salary range of £31,049 to £37,796 annually, with opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a mental health setting.
• Significant experience of recruiting and consenting participants in healthcare settings.
• Demonstrable administration experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the set‑up and facilitation of the research project.
• Maintain and manage an external database of quantitative data.
• Approach potential research participants using various communication formats.
• Conduct structured interviews while ensuring participant safety.

Skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Knowledge of borderline personality disorder

Ability to educate and support others

Planning skills

Knowledge of research methodologies

Education

Degree in health or social science

Masters level degree in health or social science

Job description

Research Assistant

Go back Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 01 January 2026

In this exciting role, the post holder will travel to mental health clinics throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) to discuss the QUEST trial with community mental health service users, and recruit patients with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

The post holder will collect data for the project in clinics or participant homes, involving the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder (ZAN-BPD), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD) and a range of other measures. Full training will be provided. Maintaining good working relationships with service users, carers, clinic staff and other stakeholders will be key to the success of the project.

The successful candidate should be organised, capable of independent work, with strong interpersonal skills and a good awareness of mental health difficulties. The post-holder will be based in the CPFT R and D department, working alongside a vibrant research team. The post holder will work collaboratively and be supported by the study Chief Investigator, Principal Investigator and the QUEST study team, research and delivery staff and clinical services to assist with the successful delivery of the study and achievement of local and national targets in relation to research performance.

Main duties of the job

To assist in the set‑up and facilitation of the research project.

To maintain and manage an external database of quantitative data, anonymise data, input data into the database and keep it up to date.

To approach potential research participants using a variety of communication formats, in order to engage them in the research study.

To carry out any relevant psychometric test materials and structured/ semi‑structured interviews whilst ensuring the safety and comfort of participants and yourself.

Where indicated, to follow‑up research participants at agreed intervals.

To be aware of the psychological/ emotional needs of research participants, responding and reporting appropriately.

To ensure that research procedures (including consent processes and follow up) are carried out according to the approved protocol and the UK policy framework for health and social care research.

To conduct reviews of electronic patient clinical notes, extracting and coding data for research purposes.

To score relevant tests make data anonymous and enter data into the study database.

To ensure safe storage of paper data.

About us

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high‑quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children’s, adult and older people’s mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high‑calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under‑represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• Arrange briefings for teams as appropriate and undertake presentations if required on the nature and requirements of the study.
• Assisting the trial managers and other members of the study team with the general delivery of the study.
• Liaise with the study sponsor, clinicians and research collaborators.
• Organise data collection opportunities associated with the research study.
• Completion of screening logs to capture data on participants approached and consented.
• To attend training and ongoing supervision for the trial as developed and delivered by the Central Management Team and supported by the site clinical Principal Investigator.
• Enter and check research data.
• Undertake advance planning to meet deadlines for formal study monitoring and study milestones (e.g. participant recruitment, data collection and data analysis)
• If requested, to support writing papers for publication during dissemination of results.
• Ensure compliance with research and clinical governance guidelines, training, data protection and ethical requirements

Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

• Degree in a health or social science
• Masters level degree in health or social science

Experience

• Experience of working in a mental health setting.
• Significant experience of recruiting and consenting participants in healthcare settings, as well as delivering outcome measures.
• Demonstrable administration experience
• Experience of relevant research with people with borderline personality disorder.

Skills & Abilities

• Able to participate in and contribute to multidisciplinary team discussions
• Ability to educate and support colleagues, patients and carers
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Knowledge of borderline personality disorder.
• Knowledge of research ethics and obtaining informed consent.
• Knowledge of the principles of GCP
• Knowledge of research methodologies

Other

• Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
• Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum pro rata