"Community Engagement Officer"

University of Plymouth - Peninsula Medical School

We are seeking an exceptional Community Engagement Officer to join a growing research team as part of the University of Plymouth’s Centre for Intellectual Disability Equitable Research based in Truro. The role will work alongside Professor John Terry and Professor Rohit Shankar to deliver exciting research that will transform community-based healthcare. This pivotal role is a unique opportunity to shape the future of neurological care whilst managing three complementary, high-impact research programmes that collectively represent over £4 million in research funding.

About the role

This is a pivotal role at the heart of our research. You will be responsible for building and nurturing the relationships that ensure our work is grounded in the needs of the community. Working closely with the Programme Manager, Professor John Terry and Professor Rohit Shankar, you will be instrumental in developing and delivering our engaged research plan. A key part of your role will be to establish and run the project’s ‘knowledge accelerator’, bringing together patients, carers, clinicians, and charity partners to co-design our research and ensure our technology is fit for purpose.

You will:

• Develop and carry out high quality individual and/or collaborative research (including with colleagues in other institutions), in conjunction with the programme team.
• Support and engage in research methodologies, especially PPIE/coproduction methods, that add to the knowledge/understanding of the subject area.
• Conduct research related administration e.g. risk assessment, organisation of meetings and documentation, and ensure accurate and timely formal reporting and financial control.

For more information on Peninsula Medical School please visit our dedicated webpage at https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools

For this role, you will need to be on site 2 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

This is a part-time position (hours to be confirmed at appointment stage) on a fixed-term basis until 31 May 2029 due to funding.

Due to the nature of this role, a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service Check will be required.

There is an essential requirement within this role that you will be required to travel to and work at different University sites and/or other business locations that may not be easily accessible by public transport.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact Professor John Terry; by email at john.terry@plymouth.ac.uk

What we’re looking for

You will have:

• An undergraduate degree in a relevant field and a deep understanding of PPIE and co-production methodologies
• Demonstrable experience in facilitating engagement activities and a talent for communicating complex information to a variety of audiences
• The ability to listen with empathy and navigate differing perspectives will be crucial.

For more information about the job and the person specification, please refer to the job description.

Closing date: 12 midnight, Sunday 12 April 2026

Application Process

Please apply online, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the knowledge, qualifications, training, skills and experience elements of the job description in your supporting statement.