Clinical Research Associate

Salary: £31,623 to £53,132 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 20 October 2023

The Role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Clinical Research Fellow to work within a vibrant research team on a major international project investigating the progression of advanced liver disease. This project focusses on a multicentre clinical study investigating hepatic decompensation in cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In parallel, laboratory studies assessing changes in circulating protein biomarker signatures will be performed.

The overall aim of the project is to understand how advanced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progresses to cirrhosis and determine whether they are useful biomarkers for patient stratification, predicting disease course, hepatic decompensation and adverse outcomes in a well characterised, prospectively recruited patient cohort. The study will be important in the development of better diagnostics to monitor cirrhosis progression and to identify new treatment targets. It would be the ideal focus for a higher degree. 

This post provides a unique opportunity to train an ambitious clinician to develop a practical understanding of experimental medicine research, and to study for a PhD.  You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the study, under the supervision of Prof Quentin Anstee. You will liaise regularly with study sites at centres throughout the UK and Europe, in order to ensure good recruitment and communication. You will learn how to run clinical studies and work closely with scientists and clinical researchers. You will work with a variety of stakeholders including clinicians, laboratory scientists, industrial collaborators, statisticians, and patient groups. You will also have the opportunity to learn relevant laboratory techniques.

You will be a dynamic, conscientious, self-motivated team player, with a thirst for new knowledge and an appetite for discovery.  You will hold a medical degree and have a current license to practice in the UK (GMC Registration), and you will hold an up to date GCP certificate.  

This post is a fixed term post tenable for 3 years.  

For further information please contact Professor Quentin Anstee quentin.anstee@newcastle.ac.uk 

Key Accountabilities 

•    Contribution to the research programme of the Translational and Clinical Research Institute under the clear guidance of a member of academic staff or Principal Investigator
•    Develop a logistical framework for the day-to-day running of the clinical study, under supervision, paying particular attention to rates of recruitment
•    Be prepared to contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
•    Co-ordinate own work with that of others, deal with problems which may affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project
•    Present information on research progress and outcomes to the Principal Investigator and colleagues overseeing the research project, and at national and international meetings
•    Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (including via social media as appropriate)
•    Work to deadlines and manage competing priorities
•    Ensure that personal knowledge and training in relevant fields of study is kept up to date
•    Work with other researchers in a team and actively participate in collaborative research, liaising with research colleagues and support staff on day-to-day issues
•    Provide guidance as required to any support staff and/or research students

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 
•    Clinical experience in critical care or respiratory medicine
•    Good understanding of the principles of patient confidentiality in research
•    Ability to work flexibly according to study needs
•    Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
•    Good level of analytical skills and the ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
•    Ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems
•    Ability to extract and interpret complex medical information from medical records
•    Interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with patients and families
•    Excellent planning and organisation skills and ability to prioritise competing demands
•    Excellent record keeping
Desirable 
•    Experience in the recruitment, conduct and care of patients participating in experimental medicine studies
•    Familiarity with social media platforms

Attributes and Behaviour 
•    Able to work as part of a team but also independently
•    Able to collect, organise and analyse complex datasets
•    Conscientious
•    Enthusiastic and inquisitive
•    Ability to work flexibly, and under pressure 
•    Good interpersonal skills; able to effectively work with others, including colleagues, other staff, patients and their families

Qualifications (essential)
•    Degree in medicine 
•    GMC registration 
•    Current GCP certification
•    Current ALS certification or equivalent
 

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 25728