Senior Research Associate HE

Newcastle University heor jobs; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in the UK is seeking a Senior Research Associate in Health Economics to contribute to the Accelerating Rare Diseases Trials Programme. The role involves leading research on economic analysis in clinical trials for rare diseases, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. Key responsibilities include designing research studies, managing project timelines, and publishing research findings. Candidates should possess a PhD in Health Economics or a related field, with a strong background in economic evaluation methods.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in economic evaluation and analysis methods.
• Ability to manage multiple research and teaching commitments effectively.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of patient-informed risk-benefit trade-offs.
• Deliver systematic reviews exploring NHS adoption barriers.
• Supervise and project manage research team activities.

Skills

Economic methods including multicriteria decision analysis

Time management

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Statistical analysis

Education

PhD in Health Economics or related field

Tools

Statistical and economic modelling packages

Job description

Newcastle, UK.

The Population Health Sciences Institute is seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate in Health Economics to contribute to the delivery of the prestigious Accelerating Rare Diseases Trials (ARDT) Programme, a £12 million initiative funded by LifeArc to improve the design and delivery of clinical trials for people living with rare disease across the UK. The successful candidate will join the Health Economics Group, a thriving research active group that will offer opportunity for collaborative multidisciplinary research.

The successful candidate will work closely with Dr Gurdeep Sagoo taking the day-to-day lead on Work Package 5 of the ARDT Programme, Implementing Innovation in the NHS. The work package focuses on embedding economic analysis in early-phase trial design, evaluating the cost-effectiveness and system impact of rare disease interventions, and generating evidence to inform regulatory, reimbursement, and policy decision‑making.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and thriving multidisciplinary research team, whilst embedded in a research active health economics group. The successful candidate will have a strong research profile in health economics with a focus on stakeholder preference work including the use of methods such as multicriteria decision analysis, and a track record of collaboration with multidisciplinary teams in a fast‑moving research environment.

As part of our commitment to career development for research staff, the University has developed three 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.

Full Time, Fixed Term 3 years from appointment, in the first instance.

Salary : £47,389 to £56,535 per annum

Closing Date : 15 December 2025

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the development of a standardised approach to patient‑informed risk‑benefit trade‑offs in the area of rare diseases exploring the use of methods such as multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA)
• Lead the day‑to‑day delivery of the ARDT programme including the design, lead and delivery of a systematic review exploring the barriers and facilitators to NHS adoption from a range of stakeholder perspectives
• Maintain academic standards and freedom, and work in accordance with university policies (e.g. equal opportunities, health and safety policies)
• Attract funding for research from a range of peer‑reviewed external sources in line with the aims of the health economics aspects of the ARDT
• Plan and lead high‑quality research, project managing the research activity, supervising and taking responsibility for the research team. Plan the research to be undertaken, as a self‑contained item or as part of a broader programme. This will include designing and running stakeholder workshops.
• Carry out research within agreed timelines, meeting project milestones and to an appropriate standard
• Consistently publish research in peer‑reviewed publications at a 3 level, with significant contribution at the 4 level
• Undertake teaching relating to health economics and the health technology assessment of rare diseases on the Institute and Faculty of Medical Science postgraduate and undergraduate courses as required
• Collect and organise data; ensure that research activity and data is consistent with current research governance instructions and Data Protection legislation; ensure that research activity and data collection and management meet the demands of new instructions and legislation as these come into effect and keep appropriate records
• Identify and undertake a programme of professional development, including further training in research methods and other transferable skills
• To contribute to the activities of the Health Economics Group at Newcastle University
• Carry out administrative tasks and other duties to support the Population Health Sciences Institute as required by the Dean

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Significant knowledge of economic methods including, for example, multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), programme budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) and / or risk‑benefit trade‑offs
• Effective time management and prioritisation skills to balance the potentially conflicting demands of ARDT work and other research and teaching commitments; and the ability to meet deadlines
• High level of understanding and experience of working with a range of stakeholders across sensitive topics
• Ability to work independently and as part of the research project team
• Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with others to successfully deliver research projects
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and protect research / personal data according to protocols and principles of good research practice
• Ability to prepare reports and papers for presentation at national and international conferences and meetings
• Experience of preparing research proposals and applying for research funding
• Evidence of ability to write for high quality peer‑reviewed publications with a publication record at a national level
• Evidence of skills in using relevant statistical and economic modelling packages and the ability to undertake analysis of study data

Desirable

• Experience of research in rare diseases
• Experience of research on methodological aspects of economic evaluation and advanced evidence synthesis or mixed methods research
• Experience of supervising less experienced staff and postgraduate students
• Teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level in an academic setting

Qualifications

• PhD in Health Economics, Epidemiology or Evidence Synthesis or a closely related quantitative subject or equivalent experience to specifically include advanced evidence synthesis skills