Senior Research Associate/Research Associate (PRU)
| Posting date: | 18 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £39,355.00 to £45,413.00 per year |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 07 July 2025 |
| Location: | LA1 4YW |
| Company: | Lancaster University |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 0454-25 |
Summary
Senior Research Associate/Research Associate in Palliative Care for the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Palliative and End of Life Care
Grade 6 or 7 post dependent on skills and experience.
Part-time (0.40 fte – 14.5 hours) fixed term (Maternity Leave Cover post – up to 12 months)
The Division of Health Research (DHR) within Lancaster University’s Faculty of Health and Medicine is seeking to appoint a Research Associate or Senior Research Associate in Palliative and End-of-Life Care, to work as part of the cross-organisational NIHR Policy Research Unit for Palliative and End of Life Care (PRU). The post holder will play a key role supporting the qualitative research elements associated with the PRU.
The NIHR Policy Research Unit (PRU) for Palliative and End of Life Care is a collaboration led from King’s College, London, Hull York Medical School at the University of Hull, working in collaboration with the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University and partners from other Universities. This new NIHR Policy Research Unit (PRU) for Palliative and End of Life Care, which is the first of its kind, is funded for three years in the first instance. We are currently advertising several posts across these three Universities; the focus of this post is a Research Associate or Senior Research Associate role with a particular emphasis on qualitative research.
You will support Professors Walshe and Preston and the PRU team in a range of policy related research activities. This is likely to include the whole range of research skills including preparation of research ethics and governance applications, conducting qualitative research, contributing to systematically constructed reviews, and preparing papers for publication. He/she will demonstrate excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work alongside a range of colleagues including academic staff, health and social care professionals, policymakers and patients and family carers. There will be a need to work flexibly as part of the rapid response mode of the PRU. This is an ideal opportunity to work flexibly across several different areas, build research skills, and work alongside internationally renowned groups of researchers.
To apply for the Grade 7 role, you must have a doctoral degree level qualification in a relevant discipline and experience of conducting research in health care environments. Please see the person specifications for grade 7 and 6 to understand the characteristics that are essential or desirable for these roles. Ideally, you will have experience in palliative or end of life care research. Writing skills are particularly valued, and experience of authoring papers for publication, grant applications and/or research protocols is critical. Experience of working collaboratively in large multi-disciplinary research teams, and service users/relatives, clinicians and service providers, would be a definite advantage. Experience in engaging with policymakers or working in a policy focused role would be helpful. We are looking for an energetic dynamic, self-directed, and committed individual with an interest in becoming a key part of our end-of-life care research team.
The International Observatory on End of Life Care conducts high quality cutting edge research and provides innovative educational programmes to improve palliative and end of life care for patients and family members. See www.lancaster.ac.uk/fhm/research/ioelc/
The Faculty provides an environment that strongly supports the individual needs of each employee, promoting a healthy work-life balance. We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis, as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education.
The position is available to start from August 2025 and we are open to discussing flexible working arrangements including working week and days/hours worked, flexible start and finish times or condensed hours. The post is part-time, approximately 2 days a week, exact hours to be determined in discussion with the successful candidate. We welcome applications from those of the global majority under-represented within the Division.
The role is to cover a period of maternity leave of the substantive post holder and is offered as a fixed term role for a period of 12 months starting in August 2025.
Applicants wishing to consider the Skilled Worker Route should ensure they meet the points requirement before applying. Further information can be found on the UK Visas and Immigration website.
For further information, please contact: Professor Catherine Walshe c.walshe@lancaster.ac.uk or Professor Nancy Preston n.j.preston@lancaster.ac.uk
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