Research Assistant in Digital Health

King's College London; London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering project at King's College London to develop innovative apps for managing schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. This role offers a unique opportunity to blend technology with mental health research, requiring coding skills in Flutter and a relevant degree. Engage in field testing and data analysis while contributing to impactful studies in digital health.

Benefits

10 days per year for professional development

Qualifications

• Proven research experience related to digital health interventions.
• Strong academic record with high performance in relevant education.
• Ability to critically appraise scientific literature.

Responsibilities

• Develop apps and related digital technologies for Android and Apple smartphones.
• Conduct field testing and refinement with volunteers.
• Assist with literature reviews on digital technology use in mental health.

Skills

Experience coding smartphone applications in Flutter

Excellent organizational and time management skills

Excellent teamwork, written, and oral communication skills

Education

Relevant undergraduate degree (e.g., computer science, psychology, neuroscience, engineering, mathematics, statistics)

Tools

Dart

Java

C

R

STATA

SPSS

Job description

About us

The Department of Psychosis Studies is the world’s leading department for research into psychotic disorders, distinguished by high-impact publications. It is part of the IoPPN, the largest academic community in Europe dedicated to the study and prevention of mental illness and brain disease. The IoPPN produces more highly cited outputs (top 1% citations) on psychiatry and mental health than any other centre (SciVal 2021). Its strength lies in its interdisciplinary research strategy and educational activities, offering unique opportunities for students and staff.

About the role

The postholder will join an exciting new project to develop an app supporting management and treatment of individuals with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Responsibilities include developing apps and related digital technologies for Android and Apple smartphones, conducting field testing and refinement with volunteers—including those with psychotic disorders—and data analysis under supervision. The role also involves assisting with literature reviews on digital technology use in mental health.

This is a full-time position (35 hours/week) with a fixed-term contract of 1 year from the start date, with potential extension depending on funding.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development, as per the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. This applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Technicians, Teaching Fellows, and AEP staff up to grade 7. More information is available at the Centre for Research Staff Development.

About you

To succeed in this role, candidates should possess the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• Experience coding smartphone applications in Flutter or similar frameworks
• A relevant undergraduate degree (e.g., computer science, psychology, neuroscience, engineering, mathematics, statistics) with at least a 2:1 or equivalent
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with attention to detail
• A strong academic record demonstrated through high performance in A-levels (or equivalent) and higher education, including any prizes or relevant indicators
• Ambitious, enthusiastic, responsible, flexible, and capable of working independently to deadlines
• Excellent teamwork, written, and oral communication skills
• Ability to critically appraise scientific literature and develop research ideas
• Research experience related to digital health interventions or working with people with mental illnesses

Desirable criteria

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Dart, Java, or C
• Experience with databases and software like R, STATA, or SPSS
• Experience recruiting participants for digital health research, especially those with mental health conditions
• Experience analyzing and benchmarking digital health applications
• High-quality publications in relevant fields such as digital health or psychiatry in high-impact journals

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details, including assessment criteria, are available in the Job Description document.

Further information

We value diversity and inclusivity, fostering a welcoming community where everyone belongs.

Salary: £38,482 to £43,249 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.