Research Assistant

Newcastle University; England; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Newcastle University seeks a Research Assistant for a project on mental illness and social determinants. The role will involve participant recruitment, data management, and collaboration with leading researchers. Ideal candidates will have relevant qualifications in geography or related fields and experience with vulnerable patient groups.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Great pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience working with vulnerable patient groups, particularly in mental health.
• Ability to contribute to publication of high-quality academic papers.
• Prior research experience in social sciences.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research, including participant recruitment and data collection.
• Manage data ethically and contribute to data analysis.
• Collaborate with team and write reports for publications.

Skills

Communication

Analytical thinking

Data collection

Education

Undergraduate or postgraduate qualification in geography or related subject

Tools

Excel

Job description

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Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 03 August 2025

The Role

The purpose of this Research Assistant Role in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University is to conduct research on the project ‘Building Recovery and Resilience in Severe Mental Illness: Leveraging the Role of Social Determinants in Illness Trajectories and Interventions’.

The project is funded through the UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council (UKRI MRC). The overall lead is Professor Jennifer Lau, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London. The Principal Investigator (PI) for the Newcastle University hub is Dr Ali Copeland. The post-holder will work on the Social Health Hub cohort study, contributing to participant recruitment, data collection (including taking participant blood samples, with training provided), data management and analysis, writing peer-reviewed publications, and developing communication materials. This is a developmental post, and the successful candidate will be supported to develop legacy research plans from this research programme. The post provides an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate to work with leading researchers in social geography and to gain valuable experience in contributing to collaborative research. The post-holder will be based in the Department of Geography at Newcastle University but will also work closely with colleagues at the Research and Development Department, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust.

The post-holder will be expected to contribute to the delivery of high-quality research at Newcastle University, specifically within the Department of Geography and focusing on the needs of our population with mental health morbidities in Newcastle. They will contribute to the intellectual life of the Institute and wider institution and research field of geography and mental health.

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter addressing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria to [insert application portal, e.g., jobs.ncl.ac.uk]. For further details about the role, contact Dr Ali Copeland at [e-mail] .

Newcastle University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Key Accountabilities

• Work closely with the PI at Newcastle, colleagues at the CNTW NHS Foundation Trust, and the Social Health Hub programme team in the coordination of all research activities, including participant recruitment and data collection. Note: this will include taking blood samples, with training provided
• Manage and store collected data according to ethical and governance requirements
• Liaise with UK-based stakeholders to engage them in the research
• Contribute to the analysis of data and writing of papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Assist with writing research reports for the UKRI MRC
• Keep up to date with subject-related and professional issues, particularly developments in the specific subject area
• Collaborate with other members of the research group on the research project
• Develop, in collaboration with the Principal Investigator/line manager/supervisor, new techniques as necessary to achieve the objectives of the research
• Make research contributions to the research programme wherever possible and contribute freely to the team research environment in a manner conducive to the success of the research project as a whole
• Contribute to the academic life of the Geography Department
• Comply with relevant University policies and regulations, including those related to financial matters, harassment, equal opportunities, public interest disclosure, health and safety, intellectual property, patenting, and data protection
• Participate in the University Appraisal Scheme and demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development

The Person

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Research interests and skills closely aligned with the project aim of investigating health outcomes for vulnerable patient groups
• Experience of working directly with vulnerable patient groups, particularly in mental health
• Experience of carrying out prior desk or field-based research and developing research ideas and methodologies
• Ability to contribute to the publication of high-quality academic papers, policy reports, and documents
• Highly developed communication skills to engage effectively with diverse audiences, both orally and in writing
• Previous experience participating in social sciences research and familiarity with the organisation and governance of research
• Experience conducting and analysing qualitative data
• Interest in serious mental illness and research co-production

Skills/Abilities

• Highly organised and able to work to deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including the research team, study participants, healthcare professionals, and collaborators
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Analytical/critical thinking skills
• Ability to maintain good records
• Experience working in teams to meet organisational deadlines
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in Databases to track information (e.g. Excel), or conducting literature searches
• Willingness to work flexibly to achieve project demands

Qualifications

• Appropriate undergraduate or postgraduate qualification in geography or a related subject

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silverAthena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.