Senior Research Associate

Salary: £45,585 to £54,395 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

The main purpose of this role is to build on and further Newcastle’s international reputation in physiotherapy related research for neuromuscular disorders (NMDs), through providing leadership in the delivery of high-quality research focused on the developmental and review of outcome measures and rehabilitation for NMDs. You will be a member of the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (JWMDRC) and will lead a collaborative initiative to develop, establish and manage a Therapy led Research Unit (TRU) on rare neuromuscular diseases. This will require regular liaison with Principal Investigators and senior members of the project teams at JWMDRC, Mitochondrial Team and other partners and stakeholders to ensure high quality of research and timely delivery quality research. Should the opportunity arise, this may include other Allied Health Professionals such as occupational therapy. 

You will be expected to develop your own independent programme of research as well as forging close collaborative links with colleagues at the University and in the NHS Trust who are already actively pursuing research around NMDs, management and measurement. This research activity will be established by you attracting high quality grant income as both a lead and co-applicant on grant applications to the major funding bodies. You will be expected to collaborate with other AHPs in the field to strengthen the place of AHPs in this area across the UK. Your role is also to champion other AHP’s in the field to increase capacity and potential for the future.

This post is fixed term for until 31 December 24, working 20% FTE. For informal enquiries contact Volker.Straub@newcastle.ac.uk

Interviews will be held 31st October.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities

•    To contribute to the leadership of Therapy Led Research for NMD and continue to build a research team that will be internationally renowned in the field
•    To apply and potentially develop innovative technologies and approaches to measurement and management, where appropriate
•    To consistently publish research in peer reviewed publications at a 3* level, with contribution at the 4* level
•    To disseminate research findings through national and international conferences and other avenues with your colleagues
•    To attract funding for research from a range of peer reviewed external sources
•    To contribute towards the development and running of cutting-edge research projects
•    Contribute to the strategic development and implementation of a TRU in Newcastle
•    Contribute to AHP visibility in NMDs through forming collaborations, involvement in national and international working groups
•    Monitor workload and supervise/train less experienced staff and/or students working across several projects in which all team members are recognised and rewarded for their contributions and are provided the opportunity for career advancement
•    Promote a research culture that encourages and celebrates a rich diversity in its workforce and that upholds the highest standards for its research integrity, data reproducibility and collaborative spirit
•    Carry out research within agreed timelines, meeting project milestones and to an appropriate standard
•    Help colleagues in interpreting their data, to manage competing priorities, and to develop their research skills
•    Supervise postgraduate research students and take responsibility for their training
•    Play an active part in research networks, develop contacts with external bodies including funding bodies, and actively seek out and develop opportunities for interdisciplinary research
•    Maintain academic standards and freedom, and work in accordance with university policies

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

•    A track record of publication in leading peer reviewed journals
•    Able to demonstrate delivery of impactful research
•    Experience in successfully preparing competitive proposals for research funding
•    Experience research supervision of students / therapists
•    Evidence of independence and leadership in research
•    Evidence of public speaking at major international conferences
•    Evidence of developing educational materials in the field of NMD
•    Evidence of engagement with a national or/and international collaborative research network 
•    Evidence of carrying out research within agreed timelines, meeting project milestones and producing research to an appropriate standard 
•    A strong background in clinical outcomes measures in the neuromuscular field and knowledge of NMDs

Desirable
•    Clinical understanding of NMDs and aims of management of these conditions
•    Knowledge of modern psychometric methods to evaluate ordinal level data clinical endpoints
•    Ability to develop novel measures and adapt existing outcome measures for use in NMD and publish on the process
•    Demonstrate ability to undertake independent research and to work as part of a multidisciplinary research team to successfully deliver research projects 
•    Ability to maintain confidentiality and protect research/personal data according to protocols and principles of good research practice 
•    Experience with translation of research and/or engagement with industry

Attributes and Behaviour
•    Advocate for the University values and guiding principles
•    Well-developed organisational and communication skills
•    Works in partnership with others with good interpersonal skills

Qualifications
•    A PhD in a relevant discipline
•    Registered Allied Health Professional (HPCP registered)
 

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: 26179