"Postdoctoral Research Associate (Mental Health and Younger Generations)"

About us:

Our ESRC [Centre for Society and Mental Health] is a cross-Faculty initiative between the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy (SSPP) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN).

The centre aims to better understand the complex interrelationships between society and mental health, with a commitment to:

•  Ensure that the impact of social context is central to how we understand mental health;
•  Work in partnership with affected communities.

To help us complete this work, we are looking for 2x Research Associates to help ensure we meet our commitments.

About the role:

We are looking for two highly motivated and talented postdoctoral researchers to work with Prof Craig Morgan and team on the exciting next phase of the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health Younger Generations Programme.

You will work with a friendly, supportive, passionate, and hard-working group to undertake statistical analysis of quantitative data to test hypothesis on various aspects of mental health and younger generations. We are multi-disciplinary and place great value on working with young people from diverse backgrounds to deliver relevant, engaging, inclusive, and impactful research.

The overall aims of the next phase of our Younger Generations Programme are to maximise outputs from the first phase, consolidate and extend ongoing research, and establish a schools health research network. Core activities to deliver these aims include analysing data and producing outputs from our ongoing REACH programme, conducting comparative analyses with other regional and national data sets, and supporting the development of a south London schools health research network, with the King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People.

The two post-doctoral Associates will work on all aspects of the programme, but with differences in emphasis.

(1) One post holder will primarily lead on analyses of REACH data, including comparative analyses with other regional and national data sets. REACH is a south London based cohort study of around 4,500 young people initially aged 11-14 years with extension data on mental health at 7 time points.

(2) One post holder will both lead analyses of REACH data (~ 40%) and lead on supporting the development of the schools health research network (~ 40%).

Both post-holders will contribute ~ 20% of their time to the delivery of teaching at the IoPPN. This may include teaching on a module and supervising student dissertations.

In addition, we are keen to support post holders with career development and there is an expectation that each will develop independent research, including fellowship applications, with the support of the Centre. We will support this with personalised training, support, and development plans.

We are looking for two highly motivated and ambitious post-docs with relevant expertise in working with and analysing quantitative data and / or with experience of project coordination, building partnerships, and working with schools. Training as necessary will be provided.

These are full time posts (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a two-year fixed term contract in the first instance, with a view to extend subject to funding.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.