Research Assistant

King's College London - Psychology

About us:

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) is a Faculty of King's College London and the largest academic community in Europe devoted to the study and prevention of mental illness and brain disease. The research role is based in the Psychology Department, one of the world’s largest academic groupings of clinical and health psychologists. It is one of four departments in the School of Mental Health & Psychological Sciences. (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/psychology)

About the role:

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Assistant to join the CIRCuiTS‑AI project and the Department of Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London.

This innovative programme aims to develop an AI‑enhanced version of CIRCuiTS, an evidence‑based cognitive remediation intervention designed to reduce the impact of cognitive difficulties in young people with psychosis and affective disorders. Working closely with HelloSelf, clinicians, academic colleagues, and people with lived experience, the project will integrate new AI‑driven features into the existing CIRCuiTS platform and evaluate these via user‑testing, feasibility work, and a randomised controlled trial.

The post‑holder will play a key role in the preparatory work required for the development and evaluation of the AI‑supported system. This will include contributing to consultations with people with lived experience, supporting prototype user‑testing activities, and assisting in drafting study protocols and operational procedures. Once the evaluation trial begins, the Research Assistant will be responsible for participant recruitment, screening, and conducting both baseline and follow‑up assessments using qualitative and quantitative measures.

The role also involves presenting the study to clinical teams, completing data entry and data quality checks, and ensuring that all study data are managed securely and in accordance with regulatory and ethical standards. The post‑holder will contribute to the development of training materials for clinicians delivering CIRCuiTS‑AI and will work in close collaboration with project partners, including HelloSelf and the McPin Foundation. They will report to the CIRCuiTS‑AI Principal Investigator.

This post offers an excellent opportunity to gain experience in digital mental health research, acquire assessment & interdisciplinary skills and work as part of a world-leading academic & clinical environment.

Based at King’s College London, you will be expected to uphold all university policies & professional standards while contributing to a groundbreaking programme of research aimed at transforming the delivery of digital psychological therapies in mental health services.

This is a full-time post on a fixed-term contract of 2 years initially, with the possibility to extend until May 2031.

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates with the following skills & experience:

Essential criteria

1. Undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualification) in psychology or other related discipline related to mental health.
2. Demonstrated experience in research work involving people with a mental health condition.
3. Recruitment experience as part of a research project.
4. Proven ability to work independently & proactively, exercising initiative and problem‑solving skills.
5. Excellent communication & interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders & perspectives.
6. Experience in data management, quality assurance and compliance.
7. Ability to prepare project documentation, including progress reports, meeting papers, and presentation materials.
8. Understanding of ethical & governance requirements in clinical research.

Desirable criteria

1. Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MSc) in relevant discipline.
2. Commitment to Patient & Public Involvement (PPI).
3. Excellent IT skills including software coding.
4. Experience working in NHS services.
5. Interest or experience in digital mental health tools.