Research Assistant / Postdoctoral Research Associate at Durham University

Durham, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

13 Apr, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

13 Jan, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Communication, Teamwork, Initiative, Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Time Management, Research Methodology, Presentation Skills, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Empathy, Health Data Management

Industry

Higher Education

Description

Working at Durham University A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community. Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential. Our Purpose and Values We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all. Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page The Role and Department The Department The Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences is a global leader across a range of sport and physical activity domains. We are proudly ranked 8th and10th in the UK, in the Times and the Complete University Guide 2025, respectively, and 10th in the 2021 UK Research Excellence Framework (REF). We are also a QS World Top 100 department for sport-related subjects. The Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences offers a vibrant, innovative and friendly academic environment for talented individuals to flourish and develop their careers. The Role We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant (RA) or Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) on a part-time basis to support a project investigating prehabilitation for cancer populations in collaboration with the Cancer Treatment Outcome Programme at the Country Durham and Darlington NHS Trust. Prehabilitation means getting someone ready before their cancer treatment. This may include physical activity and exercise, nutrition, mental health, and other supportive services. The aim of this project is to evaluate the Cancer Treatment Outcome Programme at the Country Durham and Darlington NHS Trust as well as understand people’s experiences with prehabilitation. The RA/PDRA will work with Dr Katie Di Sebastiano as the project lead and will engage with collaborators at Durham University, the Cancer Treatment Outcome Programme at the Country Durham and Darlington NHS Trust. Experience conducting quantitative research including data collection, management, and analysis is essential. Experience conducting qualitative research including data collection, management, and analysis is desirable. Excellent initiative, flexibility in work style, communication, and teamwork are highly desirable. This role is hybrid with many tasks being carried out online, but capacity to join in-person activities is necessary. Applications from researchers from any field are welcome in line with the key responsibilities and essential criteria below. Key responsibilities: Responsibilities Common to both Roles To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions. To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration. To assist in contributing to support student projects on the use of research methods and equipment. To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline. To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses. RA Position (Grade 6) To extract relevant health data from existing medical records. To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications. To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner. To analyse or undertake basic research by deciding how best to apply existing methodology according to overall context and objectives. To contribute to the planning of research projects. PDRA Position (Grade 7) To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications. To prepare and deliver presentations and reports on research outputs/activities including best practice recommendations to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences. Contribute to publication of high-quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops in collaboration with the Principal Investigator. To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals. Conduct mixed-methods research under the Principal Investigator including quantitative and qualitative measures such as data collection, management and analysis (e.g., survey and interviews). To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio. To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects. To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate. To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students. To extract relevant health data from existing medical records. To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration. This post is fixed term for 8 months due to the funding available. This post is fixed term for 8 months as funding is only available for this amount of time. The post-holder is employed to work on a research project which will be led by Dr Katie Di Sebastiano. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project through their own research ideas and interpretation of the project. Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1st March 2025 with an end-date of 31st October 2026. Working at Durham A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year pro rata. We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance. We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16. Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community. You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions. Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas. Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here. Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups. If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application. The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. Contact Information Department contact for academic-related enquiries Dr Katie Di Sebastiano, Assistant Professor, kathleen.di-sebastiano@durham.ac.uk Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays). How to Apply To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview. Submitting your application We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. What to Submit All applicants are asked to submit: a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below. Next Steps Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. We anticipate that interviews will take place over two days in or around mid February 2026. In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas. Person Specification RA Position Grade 6 Essential Criteria: Qualifications 1. A good first degree preferably from a relevant subject area, such as sport and exercise sciences, any health-related degrees, etc. 2. A Masters degree preferable from a relevant subject area, such as sport and exercise sciences, any health-related degrees, etc. Experience 3. Experience in conducting high quality academic research. 4. Experience in conducting quantitative research (data collection, analysis and write up) 5. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals. Skills 6. Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings. 7. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines. 8. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 9. Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team and manage relationships with a range of stakeholders 10. Ability to manage time effectively, capacity to work independently and meet strict deadlines 11. Ability to travel to a variety of locations across County Durham and the North East 12. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Desirable Criteria Experience 13. Experience of working with cancer or other clinical population, and/or health or related organisations 14. Experience of working in emotive environments, including ability to demonstrate empa-thy 15. Experience in conducting qualitative research (data collection, analysis and write up) 16. Experience in producing well-written reports for a range of stakeholders 17. An interest in exercise and/or physical activity for health Grade 7 (PDRA) Essential Criteria Qualifications 1. A good first degree preferably from a relevant subject area, such as sport and exercise sciences, any health-related degrees, etc. 2. A PhD, preferable from a relevant subject area, such as sport and exercise sci-ences, any health-related degrees, etc. Experience 3. Experience in conducting quantitative research (data collection, analysis and write up) Skills 4. Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team and manage relationships with a range of stakeholders 5. Ability to manage time effectively, capacity to work independently and meet strict deadlines 6. Ability to travel to a variety of locations across County Durham and the North East 7. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Desirable Criteria 8. Experience of working with cancer or other clinical population, and/or health or related organisations 9. Experience of working in emotive environments, including ability to demonstrate empa-thy 10. Experience in conducting qualitative research (data collection, analysis and write up) 11. Experience in producing well-written reports for a range of stakeholders 12. An interest in exercise and/or physical activity for health

Responsibilities

The Research Assistant/Postdoctoral Research Associate will support a project investigating prehabilitation for cancer populations, including data collection and analysis. They will also contribute to research reports and publications while fostering a collegial and inclusive working environment.