"Research Assistant"

This is an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant (pre-doctoral level) to join an experienced research team in the Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University. The team is led by Professor Amy O'Donnell and is focused on optimising global health and social care systems to better support people with multiple long-term conditions, specifically co-occurring substance use, mental and physical ill-health. This fixed-term role will involve conducting face-to-face surveys at community venues and qualitative interviews with people with current experience of harmful alcohol and drug use, and qualitative interviews or focus groups with practitioners who work with this population. The role will also involve qualitative data analysis and report writing for lay and professional audiences. The role will also involve public involvement and community engagement.

You will be working on the North East and North Cumbria Applied Research Collaboration Sunderland PLUS Study – To evaluate the pilot of a mobile health bus designed to support the unmet health needs of people in Sunderland who are struggling with alcohol and/or other drugs. The project involves working closely and in-person with the Sunderland-based inter-disciplinary delivery team including primary care, local authority, community and voluntary sector organisations and people with lived experience of harmful alcohol and drug use.

This post is fixed-term until 31st March 2026.

For informal enquiries contact: Dr Kat Jackson.

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/.

Find out more about our Research Institutes here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/.