v.1.5 – January 2020 Page 1 of 5
Ref Number: LSSJ-059-21
Salary Scale: Grade 8: £41,526 to £48,114 per annum
Contract: For a fixed term period until 30/09/2024.
School/Department:
Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS), Division of Law, Society and Social Justice.
Location: University of Kent, Canterbury Campus
Responsible to1: Ann-Marie Towers, Reader
Expected start date: 01/10/2021
The Role
This position represents an exciting opportunity for the successful applicant to join a leading applied health and social care research unit. The post is initially for three years but is renewable depending on future funding with the postholder expected to contribute to CHSS’s research income generation. CHSS has a wide portfolio of research projects delivered through local, national and international collaborations. Based in the Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice, the centre is one of three specialist research units with an excellent track record in health and social care research. Staff are drawn from a range of social science and clinical disciplines and we have extensive collaborative research with our local health and social care communities. The Centre is also host to key NIHR-funded infrastructure, including the Research Design Services Service South East (with the Universities of Brighton and Surrey) and the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust). We also have strong links with the Clinical Research Network for Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
We are looking to recruit an experienced researcher with an understanding of social and healthcare research, project management, research, analysis and evaluation skills, and experience of postgraduate teaching, with an inclination to work in an applied, practice- focused research context. The main activities of the post-holder will be to support research in social care and integrated care, contributing to the Centre’s growing portfolio of research and teaching in this area. Recent projects have included the evaluation of the national Vanguard Programme (with the University of Manchester) and SUSTAIN, an EU funded research project on integrated care for older people.
1Line Manager may be subject to change and will be confirmed in the employment contract issued to the successful candidate.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Research Fellow
Page 2 of 5 We are seeking an experienced researcher to initially contribute to a new project Developing research resources And minimum data set for Care Homes' Adoption and use (the DACHA study) led by Professor Clare Goodman (University of Hertfordshire). The postholder will work with Ann-Marie Towers (in CHSS) who is leading work package five of this study, to pilot a minimum data set in care homes. Ideally, we are seeking someone with experience of mixed methods research as key roles for this project will include:
Training care home staff to complete the minimum data set and support their ongoing participation in a longitudinal pilot
Conducting interviews and focus groups with care home staff and social care stakeholders
Providing feedback to care homes on their data
Undertaking qualitative analysis (interviews and focus groups)
Supporting the research team with quantitative analysis of the MDS
The post holder will also be supporting the national social care work of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARCKSS) led by Professor Julien Forder.
However, we would expect that the successful candidate will be able to work with other staff in the centre to develop new applications for external research funding. The postholder will be joining a research centre (CHSS) at the University of Kent with a highly-regarded and extensive track record in applied health and social care research and will have opportunities to work with national health and social care experts at the PSSRU and ARCKSS.
The postholder will also take responsibility for leading a postgraduate module on integrated care within the University’s MSc in Health Management jointly delivered by the Business School and CHSS.
Key Accountabilities / Primary Responsibilities
To carry out high quality independent research and contribute fully to the Centre’s research strategy and future research assessment exercises.
To contribute bids for external funding for research and/or enterprise related work.
To support the development of data analysis for health and social care related research.
To provide academic leadership and collaborate with health and social care staff.
To promote the Centre’s scholarly activities by disseminating research findings widely through publication writing, supporting other staff and students to write and contribute to publications, teaching, and presenting at relevant conferences.
To make substantive contributions to the wider operation of the associated research centres, including supporting colleagues, helping to ensure high levels of health and wellbeing, publicise our work, cultivate a rewarding and engaging working environment and so on.
To contribute and lead the development of new research opportunities and funding
Contribute to the Centre’s teaching in health and social care and research methods at post- and undergraduate levels and for health and social care professionals.
Page 3 of 5 Key Duties
The duties of the successful candidate will be to develop a programme of independent externally funded research and consultancy activity. It is expected that the research associate will work with staff in local health and local authority agencies, as well as collaborate with researchers within CHSS on various research projects. The post-holder will be expected (amongst other duties) to:
Collaborate actively with other researchers in CHSS, local health and local government organisations, community groups and other academic institutions to complete research projects and advance thinking.
Undertake research and teaching related to health services organisation and management
Provide advice and guidance on specialist analyses
Lead on discreet projects, development and design of health organisation research projects
Contribute to a programme of externally funded research.
Extend, transform and apply knowledge acquired from scholarship to research and appropriate external activities.
Write or contribute to publications or disseminate research findings using other appropriate media.
Make presentations at conferences or exhibit work in other appropriate events.
Assess, interpret and evaluate outcomes of research.
Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding.
Such other duties, commensurate with the grading of the post that may be assigned by the Head of Department or their nominee.
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Considerations
This role involves undertaking duties which include the Health, Safety and wellbeing issues outlined below. Please be aware of these, when considering your suitability for the role.
This role involves undertaking duties which include the Health, Safety and wellbeing issues outlined below. Please be aware of these, when considering your suitability for the role.
Regular use of Screen Display Equipment
Vocational travel on & off campus (travel to/from research sites and places of work)
Possibly lone interviewing for fieldwork
The situation with respect to COVID-19 is evolving and it is therefore difficult to specify working locations at the time of advertising this post. The University of Kent complies with all government regulations with regard to social distancing measures and guidance about working from home. Eventually, we hope that the post-holder will be based within the University of Kent in Canterbury and Kent County Council in Maidstone, with some working home possible alongside.
Page 4 of 5 Internal & External Relationships
Internal: Team members; academic and administrative colleagues; internal University of Kent departments (e.g. research services).
External: Other social care partnerships nationally, other NIHR infrastructure organisations, and other research organisations. Key stakeholders including Local authorities; local and national health and social care agencies; research participants; research funders; service user/care research advisors; international academics and stakeholders’ organisations involved in the research advisory groups; publishers and journals’ editors.
Person Specification
The Person Specification details the necessary skills, qualifications, experience or other attributes needed to carry out the job. Please be aware that your application will be measured against the criteria published below.
Selection panels will be looking for clear evidence and examples in your application, or in your cover letter where applicable, which back-up any assertions you make in relation to each criterion.
Qualifications / Training Essential Desirable Assessed via*
A PhD, or near to completion of a PhD (or equivalent
experience) in a relevant subject A
Experience / Knowledge Essential Desirable Assessed
via*
Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research
methods and their application A, I
Experience in adult social care research or relevant
field as a postdoctoral researcher or equivalent A, I Experience of day-to-day running and management of
large-scale research projects, A, I
Experience in conducting evaluations and analysis of
care and/or health interventions A, I
Knowledge of the workings and operation of the social
care and health systems A, I
Experience of undertaking high-quality research in this
or a related field A, I
Knowledge of implementation methods and their application, including roll-out and scaling-up of trial/pilot interventions
A, I
Experience of involvement and engagement of
public/patients in research A, I
Experience of teaching at a postgraduate level A, I
Page 5 of 5
Skills / Abilities Essential Desirable Assessed via*
Excellent interpersonal, presentation and
communication skills I
Statistical and data analytic skills (e.g. use of statistical analysis software)
A, I
Evidence of ability to write research reports, journal
articles, and other written outputs (e.g. blogs) A, I
Additional Attributes Essential Desirable Assessed
via*
Willingness to contributing fully and flexibly as part of
the research programme I
Willingness to learn new research methods and skills
with support and training I
Ability to work independently and as part of a team I
*Criterion to be assessed via:
A = application form or CV/cover letter I = interview questions
T = test or presentation at interview
