Overview
Research Assistant role to support the NIHR-funded Improving Social Recovery in Psychosis (ISRIP) trial, a definitive RCT with an embedded process evaluation, testing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Social Recovery Therapy (SRT) for people with psychosis. This post is 0.7 WTE (26.25 hours per week), funded March 2026 to 1 March 2029. Based at the Old Town Hall, Peterborough, with travel to participants’ homes and clinical team bases as required.
Closing date: 22 April 2026.
Main duties of the job
You will support the delivery of high quality NIHR-funded research and be responsible for all aspects of the research process, including engagement with clinical teams, assessing participant suitability, screening and recruiting participants, obtaining informed consent, performing study procedures, and managing study data. A key aspect is to provide holistic, person-centred care to participants and their family supporters in a respectful, empowering way. You should be able to plan and prioritise your workload independently to meet performance targets and deadlines, and you should have experience working in a clinical or research setting related to the studies. Strong written and oral communication skills and competence in IT systems (e.g., Outlook, Word, and relevant clinical or research record systems) are essential.
Travel and driving
This role requires independent travel around the county to meet strict time deadlines. A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential. Please confirm in your application that you meet these criteria.
*DVLA reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries – see DVLA for details.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care and supporting research to improve services and outcomes for people using our services.
Job responsibilities
* Attend meetings with clinical and research teams to facilitate the setup of new studies.
* Assist with the creation and maintenance of study-specific site files.
* Arrange appointments to see participants (at home, in clinic, or remotely).
* Undertake participant recruitment and informed consent procedures.
* Administer self-report and clinical interview measures on symptoms and functioning.
* Identify and report research adverse events.
* Use electronic patient/participant files, study-specific databases and online data entry systems per study protocols and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
* Attend team and study-specific meetings to provide updates on progress and recruitment challenges.
* Undertake study-specific training as required.
* Maintain a working knowledge of relevant mental health practice.
* Adhere to Good Clinical Practice, Research Governance and Trust Policies.
Please note this role requires travel and time-management to meet deadlines; it is expected that you can travel independently around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with a driving license and vehicle access.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
* Upper second-class honours undergraduate degree or higher in psychology.
* Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).
* Further postgraduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
* Experience as an Assistant Psychologist or Research Assistant.
* Experience of working with people experiencing mental health difficulties.
* Experience of research and/or service evaluation in mental health settings.
* Experience of working in an NHS mental health setting.
* Experience of report writing.
Knowledge & Skills
* Understanding of needs and difficulties of adults with mental health challenges.
* High level written and verbal communication skills, including ability to work in emotive settings.
* Competence in IT systems and data handling.
Other
* Ability to exercise appropriate self-care and monitor own well-being to maintain fitness to practice.
* Ability to travel independently around the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area meeting required timescales. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential.
* Desire to pursue a career in research and/or psychology.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a Disclosure to be submitted to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous convictions.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Salary: £28,392 to £31,157 per year (pro rata)
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