Senior Research Associate

Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday package

Pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Newcastle University is inviting applications for a Senior Research Associate to lead mixed methods research within the Partnership for Workforce Sustainability in Underserved Areas, Workforce Voices. The role involves shaping study design, coordinating activities and guiding junior researchers across a national programme.

The position offers an excellent opportunity to develop leadership in research, publish outputs and contribute to policy-relevant work.

Qualifications

• Experience of designing, conducting and leading high‑quality mixed methods research within applied health research settings.
• Knowledge of NHS structures, workforce issues and health system delivery.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with ability to present complex findings to diverse audiences.
• Experience creating research protocols, ethics applications and governance documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, delivery and coordination of mixed methods research across the Partnership.
• Provide intellectual and methodological leadership to studies addressing workforce sustainability.
• Develop research questions and protocols; oversee data collection, analysis and interpretation.
• Publish outputs; support funding applications and partnerships across health, policy and care settings.
• Provide supervision and mentorship to early career researchers and junior colleagues.

Skills

Mixed methods research leadership

Qualitative & quantitative analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Research governance & ethics

Academic writing

Mentoring junior researchers

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in relevant subject

Job description

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: 27 November 2026

The Role

Applications are invited for a Senior Research Associate to join the School of Medicine within the Faculty of Medical Sciences. This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in delivering and developing a programme of mixed methods research as part of the Partnership for Workforce Sustainability in Underserved Areas, Workforce Voices.

Workforce Voices is a major NIHR funded collaboration established to address workforce sustainability challenges in underserved areas of health and care. Bringing together researchers from five universities, the Partnership works closely with policymakers, health and care professionals, system leaders and members of the public to develop evidence‑based and actionable solutions to workforce challenges in primary care and maternity services across six projects.

The successful candidate will play a leading role in delivering mixed methods research across the Partnership. They will contribute to the design and conduct of studies, analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, publish research outputs, support funding applications and work with partners across health, care and policy settings. As a senior member of the research team, they will provide guidance and support to early career researchers, contribute to the development of new research opportunities and help shape the future direction of research within the programme. This role will work across the entire partnership but with a focus on co‑leading our SIGNAL project with Professor Anthony Montgomery. More information on our body of work can be found at https://workforcevoices.org/ourprojects/

The role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced researcher to further develop their research leadership within a large, nationally significant programme, while helping to influence workforce research, policy and practice

For informal enquiries, please contact Partnership Co‑Leads, [e-mail], [e-mail] or our SIGNAL project lead [e-mail]

This role is fixed term until 28/02/2030 and part time for 0.6 FTE.

For more information about Workforce Voices, please visit: Workforcevoices.org

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena 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

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the design, delivery and coordination of mixed methods research activities across the Partnership, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives, milestones and timelines,
• Contribute intellectual and methodological leadership to studies addressing workforce sustainability in underserved primary care and maternity settings,
• Develop research questions, study protocols and analytical approaches that address Partnership priorities and emerging workforce challenges,
• Lead the collection, management, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data, ensuring robust and credible findings,
• Apply and promote high standards of research governance, ethics, integrity and data management throughout Partnership activities,
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with researchers, policymakers, health and care organisations, professional groups and public contributors to support the delivery and impact of the Partnership's research programme,
• Lead stakeholder engagement and co‑production activities that inform the development, delivery, dissemination and application of Partnership research.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across partner universities and external organisations to support the effective delivery of Partnership objectives,
• Lead the preparation of publications, reports, policy briefings, presentations and other outputs arising from Partnership research,
• Disseminate research findings to academic, policy, professional and public audiences, promoting the uptake and application of evidence to improve workforce sustainability,
• Support the strategic development of the Partnership's programme of research by identifying opportunities for future research, collaboration, impact and funding,
• Contribute to the development of research proposals and funding applications that build upon the Partnership's programme of work,
• Provide supervision, mentoring and support to early career researchers, contributing to research capacity building within the Partnership,
• Contribute to project reporting, governance and management activities, ensuring compliance with university, funder and regulatory requirements.

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience of designing, conducting and leading high-quality mixed methods research within applied health research settings,
• Knowledge and experience of applied health research and an understanding of the organisation and delivery of healthcare services, including NHS structures and workforce issues,
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex information and research findings to a range of audiences,
• Experience of collecting, managing, analysing and interpreting complex research data using appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative methods,
• Experience of developing research protocols, ethics applications and other research governance documentation, with a sound understanding of research integrity and good research practice,
• Experience of planning, organising and managing research activities, working collaboratively with stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams to deliver research objectives, milestones, dissemination and impact,
• Evidence of contribution to high-quality research outputs, including peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and other dissemination activities,
• Experience of contributing to research funding applications, bids, proposal development or related research development activities,
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team, including contributing to the development of junior researchers, students or colleagues where appropriate.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to work collaboratively and build effective relationships across multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations.
• Ability to work effectively with academic colleagues, healthcare professionals, policymakers, public contributors and other stakeholders.
• Ability to exercise initiative, independent judgement and problem‑solving skills in the delivery of research activities.
• Ability to prioritise competing demands and manage multiple activities to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing positively to a collaborative research environment.

Qualifications

• A PhD awarded in a relevant subject (e.g. public health, sociology, psychology or clinical education).

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

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 Gold Athena 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.