Research Associate, Department of Women and Children’s Health

Job ID: 012704

Salary: £38,304 – £40,414 per annum, including London Weighting

Allowance Posted: 05-Jan-2021

Closing date: 24-Jan-2021 

Business unit: Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine

Department: Department of Women & Children's Health

Contact details: Dr Sophie Moore or Dr Benjamin Barratt,  Sophie.Moore@kcl.ac.uk or b.barratt@imperial.ac.uk 

St. Thomas' Campus   Research    

Job description
We are seeking an enthusiastic Research Associate to conduct, manage and publish research in line with the objectives described in the project description and with the overall objectives of the KCL Department of Women and Children's Health.

Under the Leadership of Professor Peter von Dadleszen, the Department of Women and Children's Health has recently been awarded a Collaborative Award in Science from the Wellcome Trust to explore maternal and infant health trajectories in sub-Saharan Africa (the PRECISE-DYAD study). This study will extend the ongoing PRECISE network study (PRECISEnetwork.org) to provide a greater epidemiological and mechanistic understanding of health and disease pathways in two of the PRECISE sites, Kenya and The Gambia.

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic Research Associate to work alongside Dr Sophie Moore (KCL) and Dr Benjamin Barratt (Imperial) in overseeing the collection, analysis and interpretation of new datasets being collected as part of PRECISE-DYAD linking diet/nutrition, exposure to indoor/outdoor air pollution, and other environmental data to birth outcomes and health trajectories.

This post provides an opportunity for a post-doctoral level research scientist to engage in a large collaborative research project, working with both academic and clinical research scientists as well as working closely with large, multidisciplinary field teams based in Kenya and The Gambia. Further, this post will provide the opportunity for the RA to develop and lead his or her own research, within the framework of the larger trial.

Opportunities for training and development (e.g. junior Fellowship applications) will be encouraged and supported.
The post-holder will be expected to help ensure research rigour across all aspects of the study, and to contribute to the analysis and interpretation of key research data. Relevant research and field experience is required.

The post-holder will be based in Beckett House in central London and will be required to travel to the PRECISE-DYAD study sites in Kenya and The Gambia, as directed.

This is a full-time post, a fixed-term contract for 36 months, from March 1st 2021.

Key responsibilities

• Work with line managers (Dr Sophie Moore & Dr Benjamin Barrett) and key members of the PRECISE-DYAD teams in London, Kenya and The Gambia to ensure robust data collection, including training and support of field staff
• Oversee data collection carried out by field staff in Kenya and The Gambia
• Lead on data analysis, as directed by line managers
• Promote good lines of communication with all colleagues and collaborators
• Actively seek opportunities for research dissemination, including conference attendance/presentation and research publications
• Support other junior researchers (including students) working within the broad PRECISE network and within Drs Moore and Barratt's research groups
• Take an active role in the Department of Women and Children's Health, and in global health activities more generally across the College

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 in relevant area
• Experience in applied and/or clinical research, preferably in global health settings
• Formal qualification or equivalent experience in biostatistics /epidemiology
• Excellent quantitative / statistical skills
• Good understanding of modelling approaches used by medical statisticians
• Experience in research methodologies
• Knowledge and practical application of statistical packages such as Stata,R
• Sound understanding of design, conduct and analysis of epidemiological and clinical studies
• Experience in working in large, collaborative research teams
• Willingness to travel to Kenya and The Gambia 

Desirable criteria

• Publication record
• Experience in research dissemination (conference presentations, public engagement etc.)

Further information
This post is subject to Occupational Health clearance.

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.