Research Fellow Human Wellbeing

Location: Highfield Campus

Salary:  £28,982

Full Time, Fixed Term (End date 31/03/2017)

Closing Date:  Tuesday 06 September 2016

Interview Date:  To be confirmed

Reference: 774316JW

This post provides an excellent opportunity for a trainee health psychologist or similar to develop skills in applied qualitative research and bid writing.  This project contributes to a larger programme of research developing new digital interventions to support patients making decisions about complementary and mainstream therapies for low back pain.

Acupuncture is safe, evidence-based (for pain), popular with patients, and increasingly used clinically by a broad range of clinicians including physiotherapists and GPs.  However, our work has shown that patients often have concerns about acupuncture that may not be addressed in existing patient information resources.  Therefore we recently completed a major piece of work, funded by Arthritis Research UK, in which we developed and tested a new evidence-based educational website about acupuncture.  The purpose of this post is to help develop this work into a major funding bid to develop web-based support for patients choosing low back pain therapies. 

You will join the Centre for Applications of Health Psychology, under the supervision of Dr Bishop, your main tasks will be to carry out small scale exploratory research in NHS settings to elicit patients' and healthcare professionals' views on treatment decision-making in low back pain, consult public representatives and collaborators, and help to draft bids for external funding. 

You will have a PhD* or equivalent professional qualifications and experience in health psychology or a closely related subject, previous experience of qualitative, ideally in NHS settings.  Knowledge of low back pain therapies (e.g. acupuncture, physiotherapy, osteopathy) and/or digital intervention development would advantageous 

*Applications for Research Fellow positions will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification.  The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD.  Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

A standard DBS check is required for this role.

You will need to take up the post as soon as possible, no later than 1 October 2016. 

For further information, please contact  Dr Felicity Bishop via email f.l.bishop@southampton.ac.uk

 Application Procedure:

You should submit your completed online application form at www.jobs.soton.ac.uk. The vacancy will close at midnight on the closing date as shown above. If you need any assistance, please contact Charlene Tyson on +44 (0) 23 8059 6803. Please quote vacancy reference number 774316JW on all correspondence.