Research Associate - GM Digital Research Unit

Greater Manchester Menthal Health NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in mental health is seeking a dedicated Research Associate to contribute to innovative research projects. This role involves writing funding applications, conducting both quantitative and qualitative research, and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure the success of research initiatives. With a strong emphasis on communication and teamwork, you will play a crucial role in managing research data and supporting the development of impactful studies. Join a forward-thinking organization that values integrity, diversity, and high-quality research, while enjoying a supportive work environment with excellent benefits.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Excellent pension

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Wellbeing programme

Blue Light Card Discounts

fuelGenie Fuel Cards

Qualifications

• Experience of conducting quantitative and qualitative research.
• Proven track record of high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability to work under time-pressure and meet strict deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Assist with writing funding applications for research.
• Maintain and manage relevant databases for ongoing research.
• Conduct systematic reviews and contribute to study design.

Skills

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Statistical Analysis

Communication Skills

Database Management

Education

Good Honours Degree in Psychology

Master's Degree or equivalent experience

Tools

SPSS

STATA

NVivo

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Research grants writing
• To assist with writing of funding applications for research

Communication and networking
• To regularly liaise with the study collaborators and other stakeholders to identify and recruit eligible study participants
• To assist with the promotion of the research to stakeholders

Research and administrative activities to support funding bids
• To conduct and write systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses for publication and to inform future research and grant applications.
• To contribute to the development/design of qualitative and quantitative studies with the members of the team.
• To assist with the running of any pilot trials or research studies conducted within the team.
• To liaise with relevant funding bodies, research support network (e.g. NIHR Research Design Service) and R&I departments of partner organisations
• To assist with the running of any focus groups or consultation groups with service users and/or other stakeholders to inform research.
• To assist in running meetings, including production of agendas, writing of minutes and reports and taking follow-up action as required.
• To support the Lead and team members on other relevant research/administrative activities as required.

Research management
• To populate, maintain and manage relevant and accurate databases on a daily basis, ensuring they represent a comprehensive and accurate record of the ongoing research.
• To work effectively under time-pressure in order to meet tight deadlines and project milestones
• To retrieve complex data from relevant quantitative databases and analyse research outcomes to produce summary reports on research activity for a variety of purposes.
• To implement research policies / standard operating procedures for their own work area and to be able to propose improvements to research policies/procedures where relevant.
• To assume responsibility for the safe and secure use of research equipment including digital recorders and computers where relevant.
• To provide advice or demonstrate own research activities or workplace routines to new research staff or temporary researchers working on the project.

Trust Mandatory On-going Requirements - to be met by the candidate after commencing in post, these will not be assessed at the recruitment stage
• To undertake any other reasonable duty, when requested to do so by an appropriate Trust manager.
• To understand and comply with all Trust policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• To understand the Trusts Strategic Goals and how you can support them.
• To understand the need to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and adhere to all principles in effective safeguarding.
• To carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with Equal Opportunities, Equality and Diversity and dignity in care/work policies and principles
• To avoid unlawful discriminatory behaviour and actions when dealing with the colleagues, services users, members of the public and all stakeholders.
• To access only information, where paper, electronic, or, in another media, which is authorised to you as part of the duties of your role.
• Not to communicate to anyone inside or outside the NHS, information relating to patients, services users, staff, contractors or any information of a commercially sensitive nature, unless done in the normal course of carrying out the duties of the post and with appropriate permission.
• To maintain high standards of quality in corporate and clinical record keeping ensuring information is always recorded accurately, appropriately and kept up to date.
• To ensure their day to day activities embrace sustainability and reduce the impact upon the environment by minimising waste and maximising recycling; saving energy; minimising water usage and reporting electrical faults, water leakages or other environmental concerns to the facilities department or their line manager.
• Take reasonable care of the health and safety of yourself and other persons
• To contribute to the control of risk and to report any incident, accident or near miss
• To protect service users, visitors and employees against the risk of acquiring health care associated infections.
• To take responsibility for your own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn in line with appraisal and supervision.

Please see attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements:

Band

Saturday (midnight to midnight) and any week day after 8pm and before 6am

All time on Sundays and Public Holidays (midnight to midnight)

1

Time plus 47%

Time plus 94%

2

Time plus 41%

Time plus 83%

3

Time plus 35%

Time plus 69%

4 - 9

Time plus 30%

Time plus 60%

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Excellent pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme
• Blue Light Card Discounts
• fuelGenie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Good Honours Degree in Psychology (2:1 or above) and a Master's Degree or equivalent experience

Desirable criteria

• Possessing or working towards a higher research degree

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of conducting quantitative research
• Experience of conducting and analysing qualitative research
• Experience of conducting research in mental health
• Experience of statistical and qualitative computer packages (e.g. SPSS, STATA or an equivalent statistical package and NVivo)
• Experience of conducting PPI events and public engagement

Desirable criteria

• Expertise of working with colleagues in NHS settings
• Experience of management of randomised controlled trials of complex interventions
• Experience of complex psychological interventions
• Experience of writing grant applications

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Knowledge/experience of analysis and interpretation of statistical/analytical research outcomes

Desirable criteria

• Experience of digital mental health research

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria

• Excellent Communication skills (written and verbal)
• Ability to form effective working relationships with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds
• Ability to take responsibility for planning and implementation of specific elements of research studies
• Computer Literacy - advanced skills in database (eg Microsoft Excel) and word processing packages
• Ability to prepare and present research reports and presentations
• Ability to work under time-pressure and meet strict deadlines and prioritise accordingly
• Ability to maintain high standard of integrity and confidentiality
• Show initiative and enthusiasm, and proactively contribute to the culture of the team

Desirable criteria

• Demonstrable capability of working with large volumes of complex, sensitive and highly confidential information
• Experience extracting and coding data from clinical case notes
• Experience of public speaking
• Experience of writing to publications.

Other Requirements

Essential criteria

• Proven track record of high quality publications in peer review journals
• Reliable method for traveling independently across the wide footprint of the Trust and occasionally the North West region to attend meetings and events relevant to the role

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of national and international research collaborations

Important Information about working for GMMH:

All positions within the Trust are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, for further information on the checks required please visit the NHS Employers website www.nhsemployers.org

The Trust mandates all post holders who require a DBS for their role to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration throughout your employment with GMMH.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for posts at Greater Manchester Mental Health who have direct experience of mental health, learning disability or drug and alcohol services either as a service user or a carer.

The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are aspiring to ensure our workforce is representative of the diverse communities that we serve, and we are strongly committed to removing barriers to employment for candidates from under-represented groups, for example BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ communities. If you would like to have an informal chat about the recruitment process for this role or would value some additional support, we'd love to hear from you.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

A candidate may utilise the help of AI when writing job application. The assessment of an application is made on its entirety and most times AI-generated content does not fully grasp the context and requirements of the job one applies for thus producing inaccurate and misleading information, especially in the supporting statement section of an application that can lack real life examples of one's achievements, success and challenges.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored. GMMH reserves the right to follow up with a candidate at the interview on specific responses and those examples used in the supporting statement to explore it further.

Sponsorship

We are proud to be an approved sponsor for the Skilled Worker visa. Applications from individuals who require sponsorship will be considered alongside all other applications. Please be aware that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible roles and salary requirements on the UK Government's website - click here.

If you are offered a role with us and you require sponsorship, we will check your eligibility in line with the information on the above website. Your offer of employment could be withdrawn if the role is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not otherwise able to evidence your right to work in the UK.

The Home Office introduces new changes from 09/04/2025 that impact the health and care sector, you may wish to familiarise with it here.

Do you have experience outside the NHS?

We want to attract and retain people with diverse skills and experience, to deliver inclusive healthcare services to our communities.

We will consider relevant experience outside the NHS to calculate your salary on appointment. Please contact our Recruitment Team for more information.

**Please note, this vacancy may be closed at any time if sufficient applications have been received**

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Band 6 Research Associate JD - GM Digital (PDF, 424.4KB)
• Important Candidate information (PDF, 2.5MB)