Research Assistant/Associate
Newcastle, GB
Salary:
Reserach Assistant: £33,002 - £33,951
Reserach Associate: £35,608 - £46,049
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: 09 September 2025
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Research Assistant/Associate to join a Nuffield Foundation funded study to investigate the feasibility of delivering a preschool sleep intervention (SleepBoost) alongside a community language intervention (Chatterbox) to boost language outcomes in 2-3 year old children at risk of language difficulties.
This study is led by Dr Vic Knowland with Dr Faye Smith, Professor Cristina McKean (Oxford University) and colleagues from the Children’s Public Health Service in North Tyneside Council. See the ECLS website for more information about the team and the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, including our Speech and Language Sciences subject area.
The postholder should have a PhD in a relevant discipline e.g. Speech and Language Sciences, Education, Psychology, Linguistics (Research Associate), although we will consider candidates who are close to submission of their PhD, (initially employed at Research Assistant level).
The postholder will be responsible for co-ordinating and delivering the SleepBoost intervention. They will collaborate with a second Research Assistant/Associate (Speech and Language Therapist), who will be co-ordinating and delivering the Chatterbox intervention. The postholder will be responsible for collating the data necessary for evaluating the intervention outcomes. They will also be actively involved in writing and dissemination of research outcomes, taking a leading role where appropriate, and in engagement beyond academic audiences via workshops and other activities.
We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment. We would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible working, including a combination of working on campus and remotely, and flexibility around start and finish times, appropriate to the needs of the role. However, please note that responsibilities of this role, linked to delivering the SleepBoost intervention within the community, will necessitate regular in-person sessions in North Tyneside, and some local travel. The post holder will be required to hold/undergo an enhanced DBS check.
Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact Dr Vic Knowland (vic.knowland@newcastle.ac.uk) to discuss the role. To apply, please upload an up-to-date CV and letter of application outlining specific examples around how you meet the requirements set out in ‘The Person’ section below.
The role is fixed term for 36 month fixed term at 0.6 FTE (22 hours).
Key Accountabilites
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Organising intervention sessions and data collection, including set up, implementation and analysis of the SleepBoost intervention program.
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Working directly with families of 2-3 year old children at risk of language difficulties, to support with child sleep.
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Working closely with external stakeholders in North Tyneside Council, and the second Research Assistant/Associate (Speech and Language Therapist) employed on the project.
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Conducting research-related administration to ensure ethical research procedures and security of data management.
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Developing and maintaining knowledge of relevant research findings and policy/practice developments.
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Collaboratively working to prepare research outcomes for submission to high-quality refereed journals and presentation at national and international academic and practitioner conferences.
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Undertaking appropriate training and career enhancement activities, including the development of skills relevant to wider academic responsibilities.
The Person (Essential/Desirable)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
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Theoretical knowledge of children’s sleep and/or language development, and ability to maintain knowledge of ongoing research and practice developments (E)
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Knowledge of intervention design, implementation and evaluation (E)
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Experience working with children and families for research data collection (D)
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex information and collaborate effectively with varied stakeholders (E)
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Awareness of and sensitivity to needs of research participants from diverse cultural backgrounds (E)
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Data analysis skills, including the use of quantitative statistical techniques (E)
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Experience in the interpretation of research data and results (E)
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Ability to rapidly acquire new skills (E)
Attributes and Behaviour
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Ability to analyse and reflect on own performance, seeking advice where necessary (E)
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Willingness to travel to research sites off Newcastle University campus (E)
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A commitment to Newcastle University policy on Equality and Diversity (E)
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Systematic approach to project planning, time-management, organisation and prioritisation, with the ability to set and update realistic goals (E)
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Collegial contributions to project work as a part of an interdisciplinary team, and engagement with the wider project stakeholders (E)
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Commitment to personal career development appropriate to the expectations and opportunities of the position (E)
Qualifications
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Driving license (D)
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Essential for Research Assistant post:
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Working towards or nearing completion of a PhD (submission within 3 months max) in Speech and Language Sciences, Education, Psychology, Linguistics or a closely related discipline.
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Essential for Research Associate post:
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A fully completed and awarded PhD in Speech and Language Sciences, Education, Psychology, Linguistics or a closely related discipline.
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. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 28372