Nursing, Midwifery and Health

Location:  Highfield Campus
Salary:   £39,739 to £46,042
Full Time Fixed Term - 17/10/22 to 31/12/23
Closing Date:  Friday 19 November 2021
Reference:  1564121CF

Magent4Europe: Researching the relationship between healthcare working practices and staff well-being and mental health   

We are looking for a highly experienced researcher to join the Health Systems and Workforce Research group at the University of Southampton to help us explore the impact that workplace systems and factors have on staff well-being and quality of care.  The primary focus of research work is the UK arm of the Magnet4Europe project; a trial of a system-wide intervention to reduce staff burnout, drive up care quality and improve outcomes. We are working as part of a consortium of researchers from 6 EU countries, including world renowned experts Linda Aiken (University of Pennsylvania, USA) and Walter Sermeus (University of Leuven, Belgium), to conduct a randomised controlled trial and process evaluation, and investigate the impact of applying “Magnet Hospital” quality improvement principles to 12 acute hospitals in the NHS in England. You would be joining the team at the midpoint of the study, to lead on data collection, analysis and reporting.   

We are looking for a senior research fellow to work with the Southampton team. Working under the direction of Principal Investigator Prof Jane Ball, the post holder will be expected to make a leading contribution to all aspects of the research including communicating with senior staff and directors of nursing, project management, data collection, fieldwork, analysis, and preparation of reports and lead  the writing of peer-reviewed journal publications.

You will have a PhD in nursing or health services research, and have experience of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Knowledge of health care delivery is needed, experience of working in nursing would be an advantage. You will be able to work well independently and as part of the project team, liaising with colleagues within University of Southampton, researchers in the EU consortium, and with a range of staff (including Directors of Nursing) at participating NHS hospital Trusts.  Strong communication skills and attention to detail are essential. 

The post holder will benefit from close support from our small interdisciplinary team including health service researchers, policy analysts, health economists, statisticians, operational researchers and workforce experts. We aim to provide a friendly, supportive environment for early career researchers.  

Situated within one of the UK’s leading research Universities, Health Sciences research ranks first in the UK, and nursing at University of Southampton ranks 9^th in the world and 3^nd in UK (QS Rankings 2021). The Health Workforce Research group contributes significantly to the school’s reputation for international excellence in both the quality and impact of its research, influencing practice on policy on nurse staffing and work organisation nationally and world-wide.

If you’d like to discuss this opportunity, please contact the research group lead Prof Jane Ball by email on jane.ball@soton.ac.uk. Informal enquiries prior to application are welcomed. Please be sure to include a covering letter with your application, in addition to your CV.

Application procedure:

You should submit your completed online application form at www.jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need any assistance, please call Lizzie Cessford on +44 (0) 23 8059 2750. Please quote reference 1564121CF number on all correspondence.