Research Associate (107380-0423)

Vacancy Type/Job category
Research Only
Department
Warwick Medical School, Health Sciences
Salary
£28,929 – £32,411 per annum
Location
University of Warwick, Coventry
Vacancy Overview
Full time (36.5 hours per week), fixed term contract until 31 March 2025.
Research Assistant: Implementation of decarbonisation actions in General Practice to help achieve a net zero NHS. A mixed methods study of institutional, organisational, professional, and patient factors (GPNET-0 study)
We are looking for a highly motivated Research Assistant who will work on the GPNET-0 study, a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded project. The full-time position is fixed term for a period of 30 months, to commence by September 1st 2023; consideration will be given to less than full-time working or job share.
Climate change poses an immediate, growing threat to health. Action is needed throughout healthcare to achieve a ‘Net Zero’ NHS and general practice is recognised as having a key role, not only in adapting how services are organised and delivered, but also by influencing society through its interactions with patients and the public. Several interventions are available to facilitate general practice decarbonisation, but little is known about how they are being implemented and how adoption can be facilitated further. We will use a variety of methods to gather information. Firstly, we will review and summarise current evidence to identify what is already known about the processes, behaviours and activities that support actions to reduce carbon emissions in general practice. We will then survey general practices, with questions aimed at discovering how they currently think about and take actions to respond to climate change, and their views on what support is needed. A diverse group of general practices will then be recruited and studied to collect data on how they plan and take actions to decarbonise their practice, the challenges faced and how these were overcome. Patients’ views about actions their GPs may take to cut carbon emissions will be explored, via a survey and interviews. We will also gather the views of national and regional stakeholders, such as policymakers, commissioners and professional leaders, and then draw together all of our findings in publications, factsheets and recommendations. These will be shared with national and local policymakers, professional bodies, general practices, patients and people who design and deliver healthcare in order to maximise the impact of our research.
Led by Dr Raquel Nunes and co-led by Professor Jeremy Dale, this interdisciplinary project will contribute to a more rounded and in-depth understanding how general practices are implementing decarbonisation actions and generate actionable recommendations on how to support and accelerate the implementation and sustainability of such actions.
This post would be an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, hard-working, well organised health services researcher who is interested in climate change and sustainability and is enthusiastic to undertake impactful research. There will be considerable opportunity to develop research skills and interests in the context of this important study. You will work closely with Dr Nunes and Professor Dale and with other project investigators based across England. You will be a key member of the GPNET-0 research team. You will work alongside the study’s research fellow to support literature searches to identify background literature and summarise relevant findings. You will assist with collecting and managing the quantitative and qualitative datasets, checking the accuracy of interview transcriptions and conducting initial and follow-up analysis as needed. You will contribute to the drafting of research outputs, including stakeholder briefings and reporting of the qualitative and quantitative results in both peer-reviewed papers and the final project report. You will be involved in the wider dissemination of the project findings.
You will join a research team who enjoy working together in a collegiate, supportive, and developmental environment. We are proud of a group culture based on a developmental, inclusive, supportive and positive approach, and one that values feedback, teamwork, transparency, and discussion. Our goal is to provide an excellent environment for positive, talented, and enthusiastic researchers to achieve career and personal goals. You will have the opportunity to present at meetings and conferences, and to contribute to journal articles and other research outputs.
This role will require a standard DBS check.
Informal enquires about the post are welcome. [email protected]
Interview Date: 7 June 2023.
Job Description
JOB PURPOSE
Research Assistant: Implementation of decarbonisation actions in General Practice to help achieve a net zero NHS. A mixed methods study of institutional, organisational, professional, and patient factors
(GPNET-0 study)
We are looking for a highly motivated Research Assistant who will work on the GPNET-0 study, a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded project. The full-time position is fixed term for a period of 30 months, to commence by 1st September; consideration will be given to less than full-time working or job share.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Research and scholarship
1. Help establish a sound research base within the project in order to assist the development and achievement of research objectives.
2. Contribute to well-planned and systematic literature searches.
3. Contribute to managing participant recruitment, quantitative and qualitative data collection, coding and analysis.
4. Keep accurate and up-to-date records of activities relating to the research work.
5. Extract relevant information from literature and empirical findings and summarise/synthesise into reports and factsheets.
6. Contribute to writing up research work for academic outputs.
7. Contribute towards conference presentations and papers.
8. Communicate complex information (orally and in writing) and material of a specialist or highly scientific nature.
9. Continually update own knowledge and understanding in field or specialism.
Teaching and Learning Support
1. Opportunities to contribute to the teaching and learning programmes in the department will be encouraged, dependent on the time constraints of the GPNET-0 study.
2. Assist in the supervision of student projects and the development of student research skills.
3. May be involved in the assessment of student knowledge and supervision of projects.
Administration and Other Activities
1. To attend departmental meetings and to participate (where necessary) in other committees and working groups within the department, the faculty and the University.
2. To engage in continuous professional development.
3. To participate in relevant professional activities.
4. Ensure compliance with health and safety in all aspects of work.
5. Work within budget constraints.
6. Participate in Public Engagement activity.
The duties and responsibilities outlined are not intended to be an exhaustive list but provide guidance on the main aspects of the job. The post-holder will be required to be flexible in their duties. The post-holder should demonstrate willingness to travel within the UK using public transport or active transport to support community engagement and data collection.

Person Specification

The Person Specification focuses on the knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications required to undertake the role effectively. This is measured by (a) Application Form, (b) Test/Exercise, (c) Interview, (d) Presentation.

Essential Criteria 1
Good honours degree (2.1 or above) and good Masters (upper Merit or Distinction) or equivalent in health, social, environmental sciences or a related discipline. (a)
Essential Criteria 2
Proven ability in health services research, with experience of data collection in a community-based health research environment, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training (a, c)
Essential Criteria 3
A developing research profile with proven ability to publish and/or produce high quality research output. Papers or manuscripts deposited on a preprint server are acceptable. (a, c)
Essential Criteria 4
High degree of knowledge and understanding of interdisciplinary research with a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques relevant to health services research. (a, c)
Essential Criteria 5
Skilled in communicating new and complex information effectively to colleagues and professional and lay audiences, both verbally and in writing (a, c)
Essential Criteria 6
Highly developed organisational skills and the ability to use initiative in working situations, both independently and as part of a team. (a, c)
Essential Criteria 7
Excellent attention to detail and proven problem-solving capability, with excellent teamworking, time-keeping and multi-tasking skills. (a, b)
Essential Criteria 8
Excellent IT skills, including up-to-date, comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office; experience using referencing software (e.g. Endnote); willingness to learn new IT platforms; skills and experience creating and maintaining webpages.(a)
Essential Criteria 9
Proven competence in leading and working with new concepts/ideas and converting them into deliverable plans for action in a complex environment. (a, c)
Desirable Criteria 1
Experience of NHS ethics and research governance. (a)
Desirable Criteria 2
Experience of patient and public involvement and engagement. (a)
Desirable Criteria 3
Proven interest in climate change and healthcare sustainability. (a)
Desirable Criteria 4
Experience of academic or other work within a primary care setting. (a, c)
Further Particulars
For further information about the University of Warwick, please read our University Further Particulars .
For further information about the department, please visit the departmental website .
Warwick Medical School (WMS) aims to train the best talent, develop research capacity, and foster national and international collaborations, to seek to solve some of the world’s most pressing health problems. We provide a great range of benefits which include an attractive pension scheme, 26 days holiday plus bank holidays and Christmas closure, some fantastic savings on a wide range of products and services, and excellent learning and development opportunities.
We are proud to offer a range of initiatives and projects at Warwick Medical School which encourage gender equality in the workplace, from mentoring and shadowing schemes to dedicated events, flexible working schemes and family spaces. Equal opportunity and support for all is a priority at Warwick Medical School. We’re committed to developing our work in line with the Athena SWAN charter, which you can find out more about here.
Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.
We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here .
The University of Warwick holds an Athena SWAN Silver award; a national initiative to promote gender equality for all staff and students. Further information about the work of the University in relation to Athena SWAN can be found at the following link: Athena Swan (warwick.ac.uk)
The University of Warwick is one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University alliance , whose aim is to become by 2025 an open, multicultural, confederated operation of connected campuses.
Right to work in the UK
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Please refer to this link for a full list of the benefits here .

Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy

As an organisation using the (DBS) Disclosure and Barring Service to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, the University of Warwick complies with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed. More information is available on the University’s Vacancy pages and applicants may request a copy of the DBS Code of Practice.

Closing Date
23 May 2023