Job Description

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled research worker to work across workstreams 3, 4 and 5 (see details below) of the UKRI-funded EDIFY consortium (EDIFY = Eating Disorders: Delineating Illness And Recovery Trajectories To Inform Personalised Prevention And Early Intervention; )

EDIFY consists of six integrated workstreams (WSs). WS3 (Recovery) and 4 have been combined into the STORY study, which assesses the recovery trajectories of a clinical cohort of YP with different eating disorders (ED), gathering real time data over one year from activity monitors and smartphones. This will include capturing data directly from the devices, alongside questionnaires to understand how symptoms change in response to daily stressors. In addition, we will explore illness stages by assessing how biological, psychological and social factors change from early to later stage EDs. WS5 (Prevention & Early Intervention) is aiming to develop new interventions that are tailored to different illness stages and individual characteristics, and specifically involves testing a form of non-invasive brain stimulation (intermittent theta burst stimulation, iTBS) in young people with persistent anorexia nervosa (the RAISE trial)

The post-holder will be part of the EDIFY team, led by Prof Ulrike Schmidt. The post-holder will be involved in the recruitment and data collection for WSs 3-5. Baseline and follow-up assessments will focus on establishing an in-depth biopsychosocial profile of participants using questionnaire, neurocognitive and neuroimaging measures. The post-holder will be required to manage and support participants throughout their study period. The post-holder will also support other aspects of the day-to-day running of the EDIFY programme, including database management, writing papers and reports and attending meetings.

The post-holder will report to Prof Schmidt, but will also work with other EDIFY academics, research staff and students. Good time management, attention to detail, communication skills and organisation will be essential. The successful applicant will have excellent quantitative and neuroscience skills/knowledge. This post will be based at the Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine at the Denmark Hill campus (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience). Enthusiasm for science, and for working with young people is essential. The EDIFY team strives to be a diverse research environment that is open and welcoming to all.

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract until 31 August 2025.

Key responsibilities

• Management of many of the day-to-day operations across workstreams 3-5.
• Recruitment of participants
• Perform baseline and follow-up assessments involving taking consent, carrying out psychiatric interviews and cognitive assessments,
• Manage data collection including supporting participants during their 12 months of participation
• Data entry and database management
• Provide research support to Professor Schmidt and her team

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Minimum 2:1 degree in psychology

2. Knowledge of biopsychosocial underpinnings of eating disorders

3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills

4. Understanding of data confidentiality and research methods

5. Excellent computer and statistical skills

6. Experience of using databases (Microsoft Access, Excel)

7. Relevant research experience, e.g. conducting quantitative and qualitative research

8. Experience of writing reports/papers

9. Good attention to detail and high standards of accuracy in all aspects of work

10. Ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team

Desirable criteria

1. Able to use statistical packages such as SPSS, Stata, R

2. Experience of recruiting participants

3. Experience of data collection (e.g. conducting psychiatric interviews and administering cognitive assessments)

4. Publications in peer reviewed journals

5. Experience of working with people with an eating disorder

6. Experience/knowledge of brain imaging or neuromodulation techniques

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health clearance.

Times Higher Education