Job description

Join a world-class research team working to improve child health. The Child Health Services and Policy Research Group, led by Ingrid Wolfe in the KCL Department of Women & Children's Health, is offering an opportunity for a talented post-doctoral Research Associate.

As a member of the OveRcoming Adverse ChiLdhood Experiences (ORACLE) team, the focus of this role is to understand the lived experiences, risks, assets, and scope of interventions for children, young people, and families experiencing adversity. This will involve conducting and analysing in-depth interviews with families and stakeholders, including creative and sensitive art-based methods; producing a systems map of risks and assets; contributing to a systematic review; and conducting an online survey and review of current national practice.

The Research Associate will have relevant social research methods experience, and will work with a multidisciplinary team at KCL and across the ORACLE partner organizations. The Department of Women & Children's Health provides a supportive research environment and is committed to staff development.

Key responsibilities

• The Research Associate will lead field work, comprising in-depth interviews with families and stakeholders, including creative and sensitive art-based methods. Data will be thematically analysed, guided by relevant health and social theory. This work will provide a rich description of lived experiences of vulnerable CYP and family regarding risks and adverse outcomes, as well as positive experiences of change. We will focus on identifying what matters most to the people directly involved.

• The Research Associate will produce a detailed conceptual and relational systems map of risks and assets, including structural, socio-economic, life-stage and relational determinants of outcomes for CYP. This map will demonstrate the direction and strength of links between interconnected components.

• The Research Associate will contribute to a systematic literature review of evidence relating to the effectiveness of interventions to reduce risk and improve outcomes among children and young people exposed to family adversity and related risks.

• The Research Associate will conduct an online survey with desk-based reviews of current national practice to identify promising policy and interventions, as well as negative outcomes.

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

Essential criteria

• PhD awarded or near completion in Public Health, Social Science, or related discipline, ideally with a focus on children.

• Relevant research methods, including qualitative interview analysis and relevant social theory.

• Planning, conducting, and analysing qualitative interviews, including with children and young people, and ideally addressing sensitive topics.

• Excellent organisational, interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills.

• Appropriate professional conduct, maintaining confidentiality where required, and sensitivity to others.

• Reliability and flexibility.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of the National Health Service and other public services for children and families.

• Systems mapping.

• Systematic literature review.

• Disseminating research findings through publications and presentations.

Further information

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.

This advertisement does not meet the requirements for a Certificate of Sponsorship under Home Office regulations and therefore the university will not be able to offer sponsorship for this role.