Research Assistant

at  Plymouth University

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a definitive trial examining the effectiveness of oral nutritional supplement use in care homes.
We seek to appoint a part-time Research Assistant to join a multi-disciplinary research team working on the REFRESH (nutRition intervEntions For malnouRished oldEr adultS in care homes) trial. This is a four year NIHR funded randomised controlled trial examining oral nutritional supplements in care homes.
The trial is a multi-university collaboration led by Professor Mary Hickson and Professor Jane Murphy of Bournemouth University. It is supported by the PenCTU and includes collaborators from the University of Exeter (statistics, health economics and community geriatric expertise), University of Coventry (dietetic expertise), University of Southampton (geriatric expertise), as well as care home managers and public representatives.
Your main tasks will be to provide support to the REFRESH Research Co-ordinator, including literature and database searches, training resource development, meeting organisation, and providing research and administrative support. You will work under the guidance of the Research Co-ordinator but will be responsible to Mary Hickson, one of the project leads.
Applications are invited from individuals with a degree or equivalent within the field of health. You will have excellent communication, organisational and IT skills, some research experience, be able to work both independently and as part of a team to work to tight deadlines. The role will be based at the University of Plymouth.
Based in the Faculty of Health, the School of Health Professions has something for everyone interested in health and care-related professions and is committed to shaping students into the best health professionals they can be.
InterCity Place is the first-class new home for our healthcare teaching and research providing students with skills to meet the needs of 21st century careers. The School offers a unique interdisciplinary learning environment, where students from the largest breadth of healthcare disciplines in the South West can benefit from excellent skills and research laboratories, research-informed teaching, stimulating practice placements and teaching delivered by professionally registered academic staff.
The School is proud of the commitment to student voluntary work, staff–student partnership, strong professional values and our record of student achievement and student satisfaction. State-of-the-art facilities and equipment help students maximise their potential and develop their core skills, preparing them to embark on exciting and rewarding careers. The School holds an Athena SWAN Silver award demonstrating the University’s ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and success for all.
Please demonstrate clearly in your supporting statement how you meet the essential and any desirable criteria outlined in the job description.
For an informal online discussion about the role please contact Mary Hickson (mary.hickson@plymouth.ac.uk) or Jane Murphy (jmurphy@bournemouth.ac.uk).
The successful candidate may be required to obtain an ATAS Certificate prior to this research being undertaken.
Interviews will likely be on Thursday 21st November, via a zoom meeting. You will be notified if you have been shortlisted or not.
This is a part-time position working 7.4 hours per week on a fixed-term basis until 31st December 2028 due to funding. Remote working is available.
We offer a competitive salary package and a generous pension and holiday scheme. We also offer a range of other benefits/support mechanisms, including ongoing development opportunities, flexible working, staff networks and enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here.
The Faculty of Health holds four Silver Athena Swan awards, which recognise our commitment to supporting gender equality within higher education.
Staff appointed within the Faculty of Health may be able to join the NHS pension scheme subject to eligibility criteria.
The University of Plymouth has a strong interdisciplinary research ethos which is supported by our three strategic Research Institutes; the Marine Institute, the Sustainable Earth Institute, and the Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research. As a member of our academic community, you’ll be expected to contribute to our recognised research strengths. Working holistically across the University, you will be challenged to innovate, collaborate and deliver impactful research contributions as part of a systems thinking approach to addressing today’s global challenges.
The University of Plymouth is an inclusive community where everyone is welcomed regardless of their background. To find out more about our inclusive community initiatives, such as Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter, please visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion webpages.
We particularly welcome applicants from under-represented communities at the University of Plymouth, such as carers/parents, people with disabilities, ethnically diverse, LGBT+, and people from all socio-economic backgrounds.

Please refer the Job description for details