Job description
This is an exciting new post for a research associate to support the development and delivery of a new programme of research to improve care for patients and families facing progressive illness. The post-holder will take an active role in delivery the new programme at the Cicely Saunders Institute: “You Matter Because You are You, an Action Plan for Better Palliative Care”. This multidisciplinary programme will focus on generating new evidence to meet current and future needs for palliative care, supporting PhD fellows and leading in dissemination and impact strategy and delivery. There is potential for the postholder to bring expertise and interests from a range of methodological approaches including (but not limited to) health services research, outcome measurement, routine data analysis, health economics, statistics, and complex intervention development and testing.  
 
The post holder will work with Professor Richard Harding and Professor Irene Higginson, the two BUILD-pall PhD fellows (one clinical and one non-clinical, to be appointed), the wider academic and research team at the Cicely Saunders Institute, partners nationally and internationally to disseminate and maximise impact of findings, our PPI network (Patient and Public Involvement) and ensure that the Trustees of Cicely Saunders International are fully informed of progress.
They will also be a key point of contact for Institute staff in the process of running programme research projects, including applications to Research Ethics Committees, and day to day project management. 
 
This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract for 3 years  
This is a full-time  post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• To take a leading role in the delivery and expansion of the BUILD-Pall led by the Cicely Saunders Institute  
• To support the BUILD-Pall PhD fellows 
• To liaise with colleagues within KCL and collaborating partners in applying for research funding  
• To develop a personal research plan leading new analyses, grant writing and peer review outputs  
• To undertake analysis and reporting of data under line management of Professors Harding & Higginson.  
• To disseminate the research undertaken by the Institute locally, nationally and internationally 
• To create educational resources and to evaluate these resources, and examine the reach and impact of these resources in relation to identifying funding opportunities and furthering the reach of palliative care research 
• To keep to agreed deadlines in all aspects of the CSI research programme  

 
 
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  
 

Skills, knowledge, and experience 
 
PhD awarded (or near completion) in palliative care or a field directly related (including but not restricted to health services research, epidemiology, statistics, health economics, psychology). 
Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. Should the successful candidate be awaiting the award of their PhD, the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spinal point 30 with the title of Research Assistant until confirmation of the award of the PhD has been received. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6, spine point 31. 
Candidate should also demonstrate the evidence of training in relevant research methods, e.g. through courses, taught MSc programmes, project management and leadership experience as well as experience in supporting development of grant proposals and seeking funding.  
 
Essential criteria  
 
1.       Demonstrated potential for future development and achievement, including leading on successful grant applications 
2.       Understanding of and insight into the issues and challenges in palliative care research, and ideas/knowledge regarding solutions to these challenges 
3.       Critical appraisal and literature reviewing 
4.       Knowledge regarding project management and facilitation 
5.       Educational methods and competency-based frameworks, including face-to-face teaching, and remote and virtual methods 
6.       Excellent research-related computing skills – competent in word processing, familiar with reference management databases, and packages to support qualitative data analysis (e.g. NVivo) and quantitative analysis (e.g., SPSS) 
7.       Understanding of management and analysis of datasets, both or either qualitative and quantitative 
8.       Knowledge and skills on adherence to the data protection act 
9.       Ability to work to and meet deadlines and to achieve this independently  
10.   Well-organised and able to prioritise competing demands/tasks 
11.   Excellent clarity in written and spoken communication.  Capacity to adapt language as appropriate to a given circumstance. Excellent presentation and written and oral communication skills 
12.   Able to grasp new information and learn new skills quickly 
 
Desirable criteria
 
1.       Research experience – conducting research studies either independently or as part of a team at all stages from protocol development to funding application to dissemination, ideally including qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed methods 
2.       Research experience in palliative care 
3.       Research experience in systematic literature reviewing 
 
* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.