Postdoctoral Researcher - Lung Cancer Screening

at  RCSI

Department: General Practice, RCSI
Reporting to: Professor Patrick Redmond
Location: RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin
Contract/Duration: Up to 24 months (aligned with the grant duration)
Remuneration: €42,000 - €51,000 per annum, depending on experience
Closing Date: Sunday 16th of February 2025
RCSI is a community of academic, research, clinical and professional staff working collaboratively to lead the world to better health. Here, you will thrive in an innovative and inclusive atmosphere and your personal development and wellbeing will be supported. We invite you to join us to help deliver on our exciting mission “To educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health”. We seek candidates whose experience to date has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to the “Race Equality Action Plan 2021-2024” at RCSI. Our students come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This makes our university stronger and ensures we hire the best talent.
Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 is RCSI’s new five-year strategic plan. Through it, RCSI will enhance human health by meeting the health workforce needs of society, creating the insights and inventions that drive health improvements, and working in partnership with patients and the public in support of better health and well-being for all. The strategy unites the RCSI community in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on Goal 3, which targets good health and well-being.
For each of the last six years, RCSI has been positioned in the Top 300 of universities worldwide in the Times Higher World University Rankings. We are proud that RCSI ranks fifth in the world for “Good Health and Well-being” in the Times Higher Education #SDG #SDG Impact Rankings 2024. This reflects our commitment to supporting people of all ages to live healthy lives and our work to promote the concepts of well-being and positive health. Our values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship and Innovation continue to unite and direct our purpose.

SUMMARY OF POST

The post-holder will contribute to the development of evidence-based recommendations for lung cancer screening in Ireland through the application of mixed methods research. This role involves integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyse existing datasets, conduct primary research and engage with stakeholders to ensure research findings are applicable and impactful for Irish health policy.

QUALIFICATIONS – (ESSENTIAL):

• A PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Economics).
• Experience in conducting and publishing research in a related area.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in data analysis tools.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Qualifications – (Desirable):

• Experience in cancer research, particularly lung cancer.
• Some knowledge of the Irish healthcare system is an advantage.
• Experience in working with large datasets and health data management.

We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — we’d love to hear from you.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

At RCSI, we help care for our people so they can focus on our mission to educate, nurture, and discover for the benefit of human health. RCSI make sure you have the resources you need to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits in areas including time away, finance, community, health, and well-being and insuring your financial future. In addition to our city centre campus and world-class facilities, there are a wide range of excellent benefits available to our employees, including:

• Onsite gym €10 per month
• Flexible working arrangements
• Automatic enrolment to a pension scheme for all employees (Willis Towers Watson, pension documents outlined below)
• RCSI Investment Guide
• Pension Scheme Guide
• Benefits Schedule
• Life assurance/death in service
• Long term illness/disability income replacement
• Free advice on health/motor and home insurance
• Discounted services, including GP
• Support for parents and carers
• Taxsaver commuter tickets
• BiketoWork
• Free eye test at the National Optometry centre
• €12/day for parking for all RSCI staff in the St. Stephens green/RCSI car park
• RCSI’s Learning and Development team facilitate and provide training opportunities for all staff
• Sports and social club
• Opportunities to volunteer in the community
• 26.5 days leave - 20 days annual leave plus 6.5 days Privilege days - In addition to your annual leave entitlements and public holidays, RCSI also grants privilege days to our employees (paid time off during Easter and Christmas periods). We also offer a number of leave options to support the working lives of our employees.
• Paid maternity leave
• Paid Paternity leave
• Parental leave

Note: This job description may be subject to change to reflect the evolving requirements of the Department and RCSI. Similar vacancies that arise in the next 6 months may be filled from the pool of applicants that apply for this position. RCSI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or race. RCSI is committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across everything we do. This ensures we can all work and learn in an environment defined by dignity and respect. Eligibility to work in Ireland is a requirement of this role, Proof of eligibility documentation will be required at a later date. Under limited and specific circumstances (research/ specialist roles) RCSI may be in a position to seek a hosting agreement and/or work permits. Employees are required to undertake 6 months service in their current role before applying for other internal opportunities, unless agreed in advance by the SMT representativ

SPECIFICALLY, THE DUTIES OF THE POST ARE:

• Research: Conduct high-quality, impactful research aligned with the project objectives, employing a mixed methods approach to integrate quantitative and qualitative data.
• Data Analysis: Conduct qualitative research (e.g., interviews, focus groups, thematic analysis) complemented by advanced statistical techniques to generate comprehensive insights for tailoring lung cancer screening strategies.
• Collaboration: Work closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, including experts in public health and health policy, to design, implement, and analyse mixed methods research.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders—including policymakers, clinicians, and public and patient involvement (PPI) contributors to ensure research findings are translated into practice.
• Dissemination: Prepare progress reports, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, and present findings at conferences, highlighting the integration of mixed methods insights into policy recommendations.

This role offers a unique opportunity to:

• Build your academic publication record through collaborative research targeting high-impact journals.
• Present findings at international conferences, gaining visibility and recognition in the field.
• Contribute to PRiCAN’s diverse research portfolio while developing skills in stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and health policy translation