Position Details
School of Psychology
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906
Grade: 6
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2028
Closing date: 21st April 2026
UK travel may be required for this role
Background
The research associate will be primarily responsible for recruiting secondary school participants and conducting data collection as part of a new longitudinal project, generously funded by the Huo Family Foundation, on how social media and smartphone use impact healthy social skills. The project is led by Dr Daniel Perez-Zapata and Dr Rory T. Devine in the School of Psychology. The candidate will be central in building relationships with headteachers and co-ordinate an ambitious schedule of school-based data collection. Testing will involve leading whole-class assessment sessions (in which up to 30 young people can be assessed simultaneously) and gathering questionnaire data from teachers. The post will suit candidates with an interest in developmental psychology and educational psychology. In addition, the candidate will have the opportunity to benefit from a range of training (e.g., latent variable modelling, longitudinal data analysis) and supervision opportunities while in post. Interested applicants must complete a cover letter outlining how they meet the essential and desirable criteria.
Role Summary
* The Research Associate will be primarily responsible for recruiting participants from secondary schools, coordinating an ambitious programme of school-based data collection, and conducting assessment sessions with adolescent participants.
* The postholder will play a central role in building and maintaining effective relationships with headteachers, teachers, and school staff to ensure that recruitment targets are achieved in a timely and professional manner.
* The candidate will be responsible for liaising with schools to organise data collection visits and follow-up visits, ensuring compliance with ethical and safeguarding procedures, and providing appropriate study feedback and summaries to participating schools.
* The postholder will support the preparation, management, and documentation of research datasets, including data entry, quality checks, secure data storage, and maintaining clear and reproducible data records in accordance with data protection and research requirements.
* The candidate should demonstrate an interest in developmental psychology, educational psychology, or a related field, and a willingness to engage with school-aged populations in applied research settings.
* The postholder will have opportunities to receive training in advanced quantitative methods, including confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and longitudinal latent variable analysis, as well as mentoring and supervision to support their professional and academic development.
* The candidate will contribute to the dissemination of research findings, including preparation of reports, presentations, and academic outputs, and will have opportunities to present at national and/or international conferences.
Main Duties
* Recruit participants aged 10–16 years from secondary schools for a two-year longitudinal study by contacting schools, presenting the study to school leaders and staff, and coordinating recruitment activities in line with study timelines and targets.
* Travel to participating schools to conduct data collection, including administering cognitive tasks, behavioural assessments, and questionnaires to groups of students in classroom settings, while ensuring adherence to ethical, safeguarding, and research governance procedures.
* Support data management processes, including data cleaning, coding, documentation, quality assurance, and preparation of datasets for analysis, and assist with preliminary quantitative analyses under the supervision of the research team.
* Prepare clear, accessible, and age-appropriate study materials, including recruitment materials, information sheets, and feedback reports, to communicate the purpose, progress, and findings of the study to teachers, parents, and young people.
* Attend and actively contribute to regular research team meetings, providing updates on recruitment, data collection progress, and other project activities.
* Maintain accurate and organised records of study procedures, recruitment progress, and communications with schools, ensuring compliance with ethical approval requirements and study protocols.
* Contribute to other related research activities and projects within the research group, as appropriate, including supporting ongoing studies, preparing reports, and assisting with dissemination activities.
Person Specification
Essential
* A minimum of a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology, Education, or a closely related discipline.
* Ability to obtain and maintain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance, which is a condition of employment for this post due to regular contact with young people.
* Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines in a structured and reliable manner.
* Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with a range of stakeholders, including headteachers, teachers, parents, and young people.
* Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a research team, demonstrating a proactive approach to problem-solving.
* Knowledge of basic statistical concepts and methods (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlations) and a demonstrated interest in developing skills in advanced quantitative methods used in individual differences research (e.g., structural equation modelling, and longitudinal data analysis).
* Experience administering psychological tests, behavioural tasks, or questionnaires with children and/or adolescents, or relevant experience working with young people in educational, research, or related settings. Competence in using online research and data collection platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Gorilla, or similar tools).
Desirable
* A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or a closely related discipline.
* A full, clean UK driving licence or willingness to travel independently to schools and research sites, where required.
* Demonstrated academic achievement in developmental psychology, as evidenced by undergraduate and/or postgraduate study, including completion of modules or research projects in developmental, or educational psychology.
* Knowledge of digital environments and social media, including familiarity with research examining their use, measurement, and impact on cognitive, and/or social development.
* Understanding of the methodological and practical challenges associated with longitudinal research, including participant recruitment, retention, and maintaining engagement over multiple time points.
* Interest in pursuing a career in psychological research, academic research, and motivation to develop research skills and contribute to high-quality scientific outputs.
OH/DBS required
Pre-employment DBS
The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Informal enquiries to Daniel Perez Zapata, email: d.perezzapata@bham.ac.uk
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
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