Research Assistant/Research Associate (Qualitative Research)

Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Newcastle University is seeking a Research Assistant/Associate with a specialty in qualitative research methods to work on The Night Shift 1850-present project, hosted in the School of History, Classics & Archaeology. The post is a fixed-term, full-time appointment up to 60 months, starting as soon as 1 March 2027.

The role involves qualitative methods—interviews, focus groups and witness seminars—to explore how nurses and doctors experience night work in England and Scotland, and to help shape

Qualifications

• Experience with qualitative methods in health or social science.
• Ability to manage a research project and stakeholder engagement.
• Eligible for UK visa endorsement if required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct interviews, focus groups and witness seminars with NHS staff.
• Analyse qualitative data to understand night-work experiences.
• Contribute to interventions to improve staff wellbeing and to scholarly outputs.
• Support project management, outreach and public engagement activities.

Skills

Qualitative research

Interviews

Focus groups

Public engagement

Job description

Company description

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Job description

Salary

• Research Assistant: £34,630 - £36,320 per annum
• Research Associate: £37,369 - £41,885 per annum

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant/Associate (RA) with a specialism in qualitative research methods to work on an interdisciplinary project entitled, The Night Shift 1850-present: Reimagining Sleep, Work and Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals in English and Scottish Hospitals, led by PI Dr Kristin Hussey and funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project is hosted in the School of History, Classics & Archaeology, which has a vibrant and active research culture: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/hca/about/

The Night Shift is an ambitious project which aims to radically re-imagine sleep work and wellbeing for healthcare professionals working at night in England and Scotland. The project examines how longstanding workplace cultures and professional identities have normalised unsafe and unsustainable working conditions. Working with healthcare professionals at NHS Trusts, the postholder will use qualitative methods—including interviews, focus groups and witness seminars—to explore how staff experience and manage night work. The role will contribute to developing interventions to improve staff wellbeing.

This is an excellent opportunity for a researcher to develop experience in interdisciplinary research, scholarly editing, project management, impact and public engagement, and sole-authored publications. The RA will be provided with academic and pastoral support within the School, and training will be provided to develop their competencies. Newcastle University is a signatory to the Concordat to support researchers’ career development which entitles researchers up to 10 days annually of personal CPD activities.

This post is a (maximum) 60-month fixed term Research Assistant/Associate in History, and a full-time appointment. The successful candidate will start work as soon as possible after 1 March 2027, ending no later than April 18, 2032. Flexible working is welcome, but the postholder must be willing to travel for fieldwork and other research/engagement activities.

Applicants with minority and/or host community backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Should the successful applicant require a UK Visa for this role, they will be eligible to apply under the Endorsed Funder Route of the Global Talent Visa. The University will support the applicant through this process.

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

Newcastle University is committed to the responsible use of research metrics as part of our research culture and research strategy. We advocate for the transparent, appropriate, and inclusive use of metrics, guided by expert judgment, to support high-quality, impactful research that is open, collaborative and sustainable.

Contact for the post is Dr Kristin Hussey: [e-mail]

£34,630 to £41,885 per annum