Research Assistant/Associate - Health and Social Care Policy (Dementia and Neurodegeneration)

Newcastle University; North East; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Newcastle University seeks a Research Assistant/Associate to contribute to vital research in Dementia and Neurodegeneration. Ideal candidates will have strong quantitative analysis skills, a relevant PhD or Master's, and the ability to lead reviews and engage with stakeholders. This full-time role offers opportunities for career development and collaboration with leading experts.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience managing/curating research datasets.
• Skills in statistical programming and quantitative analyses.
• Ability to communicate research findings effectively.

Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative analyses using cohort or routine health data.
• Lead systematic reviews including scoping and rapid reviews.
• Prepare reports and papers for peer-reviewed publications.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Quantitative methods

Communication

Education

PhD in public health, epidemiology, or related field

Masters in statistics, data science, or Public health

Tools

R

Stata

Job description

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Research Assistant/Associate - Health and Social Care Policy (Dementia and Neurodegeneration), Newcastle upon Tyne

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Client:

Newcastle University

Location:

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

6e18bf5529af

Job Views:

6

Posted:

18.07.2025

Expiry Date:

01.09.2025

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Job Description:

Research Assistant: £32,546 to £34,132 per annum

Research Associate: £35,116 to £45,413 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellentbenefits. 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: 30 July 2025

The Role

Your research Assistant/Associate role, with a strong background in quantitative analyses and evidence synthesis to contribute to a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration, led by the University of Exeter (https://denpruexeter.nihr.ac.uk).

This is an opportunity for an experienced researcher to apply and grow their quantitative skills applied to public health and neurodegenerative diseases.

We are particularly keen to recruit someone who can lead and support quantitative analyses, systematic and rapid reviews, peer-reviewed publications, and other forms of dissemination, including presenting to policy makers, practitioners and lay audiences. Some understanding of more qualitative work, which would be relevant for reviews, would also be beneficial.

The focus will be on using cohort or routine health and care data (such as the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and hospital data) for health and social care policy, and to support or lead reviews (including rapid, scoping, systematic and umbrellas), and help or lead consultations with stakeholders and people with lived experience.

The research will be responsive to local and national health and social care policy priorities. Therefore, the ability to apply the right data and quantitative methods will be essential. Contributing to public & patient involvement and engagement (PPIE), and student supervision will be encouraged.

Experience and competence in using R or Stata or other software is essential, along with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a PhD (for Associate level). The ability to handle, and analyse large, complex routine healthcare data, applying appropriate statistical methods will be essential. The role will involve activities such as: data approval and acquisition, data preparation, programming, statistical/epidemiological analysis, reviewing and dissemination.

There will be opportunities to engage with stakeholders in policy organisations, local authorities and voluntary sector. The role and research environment are highly suited to career development opportunities.

The Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Dementia and Neurodegeneration (DenPRU Exeter) links policy makers in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) with top academics in their field who can offer advice and respond flexibly as priorities change. This Unit provides research evidence to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and related bodies to inform policy on dementia and neurodegeneration. The PRU has two key elements: (i) a planned programme of research (ii) facility to provide rapid responses to requests from the DHSC and related bodies. The team is led by Professor Linda Clare from University of Exeter and consists of senior academics from five Universities: Exeter, Bradford, LSE, Newcastle, and New South Wales.

You will work closely with the PRU leadership team at Newcastle University, including Professor Matthew Prina and Professor Dame Louise Robinson, other team members outside of Newcastle, and contribute to the management of the wider programme of work and support the planning and coordination of activities.

This is a full time, fixed term post until 31 December 2026 ( start date from 1 November 2025)

To apply for the position, we will need your CV and a cover letter outlining how you are suitable for the role using evidence to highlight how you meet the essential criteria in the knowledge, skills and experience as listed in the job description.

Interviews expected the week of the 11th of August

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities

Including (but not limited to):

Data Analysis

• Clean and prepare datasets for quantitative analyses
• Perform epidemiological, and statistical/ quantitative analyses, including longitudinal analyses

Evidence synthesis

• Develop and run literature searches
• Conduct different types of reviews including rapid, scoping, systematic and possibly umbrella reviews

Documentation

• Draft accessible summaries for different audiences, including the public and practice partners and policy-makers, preparing reports for funders
• Prepare papers for peer-reviewed publications, present findings at group meetings and conferences
• Prepare applications for data acquisition, and secure ethical and governance approvals

Communication

• Collaborate with all members of the research team and funder to deliver on the research
• Liaise with researchers in the team and external collaborators to gain input and keep them updated on the project.
• Liaise with funder and stakeholders to understand their expectations and keep them updated on the project.
• Conduct consultations with stakeholders and/or people with lived experience

Research

• Carry out research within agreed timelines, meeting project milestones and to an appropriate standard
• Contribute to the development of new projects and research proposals
• Undertake and/or support Patient and Public Involvement appropriate to the research
• Prepare research and dissemination activities (e.g. workshops) with collaborators and stakeholders

Ad hoc

• Support supervision of Master’s student dissertations
• Wider contribution to the Institute and take on tasks as requested by the Dean
• Contribute to the wider activities related to this programme of work on the health of marginalised populations
• Develop an awareness of University structure, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience (Essential)

• Experience of managing/ curating research datasets and statistical programming
• Experience of undertaking statistical/ quantitative analyses, including, longitudinal analyses using routine healthcare (CPRD, hospital data) or similar large/ complex data sources
• Evidence of skills and experience in using relevant software for data management, programming and analyses (i.e. SAS, Stata, R)
• Evidence of systematic reviewing skills
• Ability to adhere to strict observation of data governance issues and data protection legislations
• Knowledge in the field of ageing, dementia and/or neurodegenerative conditions
• Experience of applied public health, health, policy or social care research
• Evidence of writing for peer-reviewed publications

Knowledge, Skills and Experience (Desirable)

• Evidence of presenting research findings at conferences and meetings
• Evidence of writing for peer-reviewed publications as first author
• Experience contributing to research grant proposals
• Experience of managing less experienced staff
• Understanding and ability to undertake public/patient involvement and engagement
• Interest in ageing populations and/or neurodegenerative conditions

Attributes and Behaviors (Essential)

• Ability to carry out research with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail within agreed timelines, meeting project milestones and producing high-quality research
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team, commanding the respect of collaborators from a range of disciplines and specialities (e.g. health, social care, voluntary sector)
• Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Willingness to build internal and external contacts and participate in networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for productive collaboration
• Commitment to personal development

Qualifications

• PhD related to public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, psychology, health and social care policy or data science (for research associate)
• A masters in statistics / data science /epidemiology/ public health or a closely related quantitative subject or equivalent professional qualification e.g. Chartered Statistician AND/OR relevant experience in data analyses (for research assistant)
• al qualification e.g. Chartered Statistician AND/OR relevant experience in data analyses (for research assistant)

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.