Research Assistant (Part-time), Centre for Public Health

The post will entail working as a Research Assistant for a large multi-disciplinary research team conducting a cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a novel physical activity loyalty scheme to maintain behaviour change, involving qualitative and quantitative research.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Support the Project Manager in the conduct of a cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a novel physical activity loyalty scheme to maintain behaviour change, including developing protocols, execution of study protocol, data collection, data entry, data management and data analysis.
• Collect outcome measures, including using pedometers and self-report questionnaires.
• Assist with data input and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, including pedometer data.
• Assist with the recruitment and conduct of focus groups with study participants to explore the key influences on physical activity and to determine who benefitted from the intervention, how and why it worked for them, and to ascertain the acceptability of the intervention.
• Assist with the recruitment and conduct of behavioural economic experiments.
• Liaise with project partners, participating organisations and local retailers involved in the study.
• Assist with ethical and research governance procedures in relation to this trial.
• Assist with drafting and presenting regular progress reports on research for research team or to external audiences to disseminate and publicise research findings.
• Assist with preparation, in consultation with research team, material for publication in national and international journals and presentations at national and international conferences. Carry out routine administrative tasks associated with the research project to ensure that the work is completed on time. These might include organisation of project meetings and documentation, risk assessment of research activities. Read academic papers, journals and textbooks to keep abreast of developments in own specialism and related disciplines.

Planning and Organising:

• Assist with the development of a Gantt chart and plan for specific deliverables of the research programme.
• Plan for the use of research resources where appropriate.
• Plan own day-to-day activity, in consultation with the Project Manager, within framework of the agreed research programme.
• Plan to meet recruitment and data collection deadlines.
• Plan to meet deadlines for journal publications and to prepare presentations and papers for conferences.
• Coordinate and liaise with other members of the research group regarding progress.

Resource Management Responsibilities:

• To ensure research resources are used in an effective and efficient manner.
• To provide guidance as required to support staff and any students who may be assisting with research.

Internal and External Relationships:

• To liaise on a regular basis with the research team, colleagues and students.
• To build internal contacts and participate in internal networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future collaboration.
• To join external networks to share information and ideas.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• A primary degree (1st or 2:1 classification) in a public health related subject.
• Recent research experience and skills relevant to this project e.g. public health intervention research, participant recruitment, data collection, data entry, statistical analysis, randomised controlled trials.
• Experience of using data analysis packages such as SPSS.
• Experience of physical activity research.
• Excellent IT skills e.g. Microsoft Office suite.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent inter-personal skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Confidence communicating with participants via telephone and email.
• Evidence of ability to write reports and meet deadlines.
• Evidence of ability to deal competently with administrative tasks.
• Evidence of ability to plan ahead / to organize / manage workloads and complete tasks that will ease pressure come data collection phases. Evidence of ability to quickly understand new concepts and procedures to ensure a smooth transition onto an ongoing project. Clear and confident communicator.
• Ability to give formal presentations.
• Ability to work independently and on own initiative.
• Access to transport and willingness to travel to meet the needs of the post.
• Ability to work outside normal hours when necessary.
• Ability/preparedness to adapt to unforeseen / ever-changing situations and record keeping skills to track this.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• Proven ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment as part of a research team.
• Experience of conducting qualitative research.
• Proven ability to participate in collaborative research.
• Experience of public engagement activities and disseminating research to non-academic audiences.
• Strong commitment to a career in research.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 15 hours per week