"Academic Associate in Psychology"

York St John University - School of Education, Language and Psychology

The Team

Psychology sits within the School of Education, Language and Psychology at York St John University. Our core programmes include the BSc Psychology (accredited by the British Psychological Society), alongside specialist pathways including Psychology with Counselling, Forensic Psychology, and Child Development. Across our programme we emphasise research-informed teaching, inclusive practice, and the development of employability skills through applied learning and placement opportunities. The department has a number of dedicated research groups including Child Development, Cognitive Psychology and Neurodiversity, Environment and Wellbeing (see). It also maintains active links with external partners across health, education, criminal justice, and community sectors.

The Role

We are seeking to appoint several Academic Associates in Psychology starting in September 2026.
As an Academic Associate you will undertake a PhD within the School of Education, Language and Psychology whilst also being employed by the University to support teaching and assessment on our undergraduate Psychology programmes (0.5 FTE).
The Academic Associate is a fixed-term position for four-years and includes a UK tuition fee waiver/scholarship for a full-time PhD. Please note that a condition of the post is full time study.
Timetabled teaching duties during our two semesters will not exceed six contact hours per week, which may include delivery of seminars, workshops and tutorials. Training is provided to support Academic Associates develop their teaching-related skills and professional competencies alongside their doctoral research.
We are seeking Academic Associates to undertake the following projects:

• Trauma-informed care in homelessness service contexts (Dr Branagh O’Shaughnessy, b.oshaughnessy@yorksj.ac.uk).
• Exploring the social connectedness and social identities of adults with learning disabilities in Yorkshire (Dr Ruth Knight, r.knight1@yorksj.ac.uk).
• The development of children’s collaborative problem-solving skills (Dr Shona Duguid, s.duguid@yorksj.ac.uk).
• Exploring the psychological basis of virtual reality analgesia (Dr Matthew Coxon, m.coxon@yorksj.ac.uk).
• Neurodivergent communication and psychological flow in education settings (Dr Brett Heasman, b.heasman@yorksj.ac.uk).

Please see the attached project outlines for further details, including contact details for the main supervisor of each project.
Applicants should contact the main supervisor before applying to seek guidance in developing a 1,500-word research proposal (not including references) as part of the application.
Your research proposal will show us that you understand current thinking in your chosen topic and are equipped with the knowledge and some of the skills needed to get started on a large research project.
As part of our commitment to providing an inclusive working environment, consideration is given to all requests for job share or flexible working arrangements. Any appointment will be conditional upon acceptance to a PhD programme at York St John University.

Required Skills and Experience

• UK undergraduate degree in Psychology, or with a specialisation in Psychology, with first-class or upper second-class honours, or an equivalent qualification from a recognised overseas institution. Candidates may also have completed, or be about to complete, a Masters course in Psychology, or a closely related discipline.
• Applications are welcome from candidates currently studying for a Masters degree, provided that all assessment work is completed before commencement of the PhD at York St John University on 1st September 2026.
• High level of proficiency in English, sufficient to undertake doctoral research, teaching and administrative activities and to communicate effectively with staff and students.

Main contact for further details: Prof Lorna Hamilton l.hamilton1@yorksj.ac.uk