Job description

We are seeking an experienced, highly-skilled and motivated postdoctoral researcher to manage an exciting new four-year programme: Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience (RE-STAR).

Based at KCL, RE-STAR is a multi-disciplinary and cross institution programme of research bringing together developmental psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience with educational studies and the performing arts. Its goal is to better understand the role played by emotion regulation difficulties in the development of mental health problems in adolescents with neuroatypicalities such as ADHD and ASD traits; in order to translate the knowledge gained into new school-based interventions tailored to the needs of these young people. Young people with neuro-atypicalities will be actively involved in RE-STAR from start to finish.

The post-holder will provide day-to-day management of the RE-STAR programme as a whole and supervision of the research team working on its 6 inter-related work packages. They will collaborate closely with the Youth Research Panel, Co-PIs and key stakeholders across the different collaborating partners.

The post-holder will be employed by the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London and will report to the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators on the programme.

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 4 years. 

This is a full-time post.

Key responsibilities

The post-holder will provide day-to-day management of RE-STAR programme and supervision of the 6 work packages. The post-holder will line-manage a number of post-doctoral and pre-doctoral researchers, research assistants at our different sites as well as the programme administrator.

• Take the lead project management role in the RE-STAR programme.
• Support study design and protocol development.
• Prepare all submissions for necessary approvals, such as NHS Ethics Committees and Trust Information Governance panels.
• Develop and run a participant recruitment strategy across all work packages to ensure timely recruitment to targets.
• Smooth and timely management of RE-STAR across all sites – providing high level support for work package leaders.
• Provide accurate and timely submission of reports to the funder.
• Work with designated individuals to help establish and run the Youth Research Panel.
• To oversee data-base development and to work with the Programme statistician to co-ordinate data analysis.
• Work closely with all members of the programme team, scheduling and attending regular working group meetings throughout the project life cycle.
• Help organise management and steering committee meetings.
• Ensure stakeholders are kept informed of progress against milestones and respond to their queries, including reporting to the Co-PIs and managing the meetings of the Steering Committees and other bodies associated with RE-STAR.
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with recruitment sites including NHS Trusts and schools.
• Contribute to dissemination of findings including presentations at scientific conferences and articles in peer-reviewed journals.
• Along with Co-PIs and the programme team, develop a detailed project plan for each phase of the RE-STAR programme.
• Similarly, plan-out and monitor the programme budget, providing reports to the funder as required.
• Deal with problems and queries throughout the duration of the RE-STAR and assist partners in resolving concerns raised.
• Assist in the recruitment and training of research assistants and administrative posts, and supervision of their duties.
• Undertake any training courses necessary to assist in the delivery of RE-STAR.

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 in psychology or similar
• Previous experience in the management of research programmes, including experiment design, data collection and rigorous and accurate data analysis
• Ability to manage own workload, including competing priorities and deadlines, and remain calm under pressure
• A broad-based understanding of interview, questionnaire and quantitative laboratory-based and longitudinal methods
• Excellent research-related computing skills (e.g. Endnote, SPSS, NVIVO) and knowledge of advanced statistics
• Strong presentation and communication skills, supported by publications and/or reports
• Project management skills including strong organisation and decision-making, budget and people management and delivering on time and to target
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with collaborators from a range of disciplines and sectors, as well as participants and their families
• Experience of producing timely, accurate reports adhering to funder’s and collaborators’ requirements
• Understanding of the sensitivities of participants and the need to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to provide leadership to junior researchers and support staff

Desirable criteria

Essential criteria

• PhD awarded in psychology or similar
• Previous experience in the management of research programmes, including experiment design, data collection and rigorous and accurate data analysis
• Ability to manage own workload, including competing priorities and deadlines, and remain calm under pressure
• A broad-based understanding of interview, questionnaire and quantitative laboratory-based and longitudinal methods
• Excellent research-related computing skills (e.g. Endnote, SPSS, NVIVO) and knowledge of advanced statistics
• Strong presentation and communication skills, supported by publications and/or reports
• Project management skills including strong organisation and decision-making, budget and people management and delivering on time and to target
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with collaborators from a range of disciplines and sectors, as well as participants and their families
• Experience of producing timely, accurate reports adhering to funder’s and collaborators’ requirements
• Understanding of the sensitivities of participants and the need to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to provide leadership to junior researchers and support staff

Desirable criteria

• Expertise in electrophysiology and psychophysiology
• Good knowledge of developmental theory and clinical approaches relevant to understanding children with ADHD and ASD and adolescent mental health
• Experience of managing multi-centre research studies and/or training in project management
• Skilled at managing a detailed budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness
• Experience in preparation of ethics approvals

Further information

Online interviews will be held on 26th July 2021.   

A presentation will form part of the selection process. 

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health clearance.

Adolescence, Emotion-regulation, ADHD and autism.