Job Information
Organisation/Company: RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Department: Human Resources
Research Field: Technology » Medical technology
Researcher Profile: Established Researcher (R3)
Positions: PhD Positions
Application Deadline: 20 Sep 2026 - 09:00 (Europe/Dublin)
Country: Ireland
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
Job Title: Research Fellow – Digital Health & Rehabilitation
Department: School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences
Reporting to: Dr Rob Argent
Location: RCSI St Stephen’s Green
Contract/Duration Specified Purpose Contract- Full-time 2 years with possible 1 year extension.
Remuneration: Aligned with IUA Research Salary Scale Level 3 Point 1.
Closing Date: Sunday 20th of September
Summary of Post
This Research Fellow position will be based in RCSI’s main St Stephen’s Green campus, under the guidance of Principal Investigator Dr Rob Argent, and will form part of a wider project team including primary industry partner Salaso. The appointee will work as part of a multidisciplinary, industry‑led consortium and will contribute to the development of an advanced, AI‑enabled digital rehabilitation and patient‑engagement platform designed to support individuals before and after clinical procedures. The platform will integrate agentic AI technologies to deliver personalised biopsychosocial profiling, adaptive exercise progression, behaviour change support, and seamless integration of real‑time performance data.
The successful candidate will play a central role supporting the design and evaluation of the digital platform, working collaboratively with academic and industry partners to ensure the technology is clinically robust, user‑centred, and grounded in behaviour change and rehabilitation science. This position is ideally suited to a physiotherapist with expertise in digital health innovation, behaviour change, remote rehabilitation, and patient‑centred care.
In addition, the post-holder will support project management and coordination activities, assist with planning and facilitating user engagement sessions, and maintain high‑quality documentation across all stages of development. They will oversee data management and analysis for research activities and contribute to report writing and academic publications. The role requires close collaboration with clinical, technical, and industry partners and regular participation in project meetings. Dynamic, adaptable candidates with strong analytical, organisational, and problem‑solving skills are particularly encouraged to apply.
Specifically, the duties of the post are:
Research and Development Activities
- Conduct comprehensive literature reviews on digital rehabilitation, biopsychosocial approaches, AI‑enabled personalisation, and behaviour change in MSK rehabilitation.
- Lead and support user needs analyses involving patients, clinicians and care providers using qualitative and/or mixed‑methods approaches.
- Contribute to the development of digital biopsychosocial characterisation frameworks to inform personalised exercise therapy and behaviour change support.
- Provide physiotherapy and behavioural science expertise to guide the design of adaptive algorithms, automated progression logic, and digital twin concepts.
- Contribute specialist clinical insight to the design and optimisation of patient-facing and clinician‑facing interfaces within the digital platform.
Data Management & Analysis
- Manage, organise, and analyse datasets arising from literature reviews, user research, biopsychosocial assessments, and field user testing.
- Synthesise findings to generate evidence‑based recommendations for platform design and algorithm development.
- Ensure all data is handled in compliance with data protection regulations and project governance requirements.
User Engagement and Evaluation
- Assist in planning, coordinating, and conducting user engagement activities, including interviews, focus groups, usability testing, and prototype evaluation.
- Contribute to testing and validation activities for early prototypes, documenting usability issues and areas for refinement.
- Support the design, implementation and reporting of field user testing to assess the usability, acceptability, and clinical relevance of the platform.
Project Coordination and Collaboration
- Contribute to day‑to‑day project management activities, including maintaining project documentation, tracking progress, and supporting delivery of milestones.
- Liaise closely with industry partners and academic collaborators to ensure smooth coordination across workstreams.
- Attend and contribute to regular project meetings, consortium discussions and reporting activities.
Dissemination and Reporting
- Prepare written materials including project reports, deliverables, presentations and academic publications.
- Present research findings at internal meetings, consortium workshops, and external conferences where appropriate.
- Support communication of project progress to stakeholders, ensuring clarity and accuracy.
General Responsibilities
- Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date project records in line with RCSI and consortium requirements.
- Contribute to the broader research activities of the team and support junior researchers or students where appropriate.
- Undertake any other research‑related duties as required by the Principal Investigator that are commensurate with the role.
Person Specification:
Essential
- PhD in Physiotherapy or relevant field, with strong clinical reasoning skills and experience applying biopsychosocial approaches to MSK rehabilitation.
- Demonstrated expertise or advanced training in digital health, remote rehabilitation, or technology enabled care pathways.
- Experience conducting research activities, including literature reviews, qualitative or mixed methods user research, and synthesising findings for design or clinical decision-making.
- Excellent analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to interpret clinical, behavioural, or patient generated data to inform digital platform development.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working in multidisciplinary teams (e.g., clinicians, software developers, behavioural scientists, industry collaborators).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced, research oriented environment, managing multiple tasks and timelines.
- Willingness and ability to travel to clinical sites, partner organisations, and project meetings as required.
- A proactive, collegial, and team oriented approach, with the ability to build effective working relationships, support colleagues, and contribute to a positive team culture.
Desirable
- Post‑doctoral research experience in digital health, rehabilitation science, behavioural science, or a related field, particularly within multidisciplinary or industry‑partnered projects.
- Experience applying behaviour change theory in rehabilitation, patient engagement, or digital health contexts (e.g., COM‑B, Behaviour Change Techniques, self‑management frameworks).
- Experience engaging with patients or clinicians in user research, co‑design, or usability testing activities.
- Familiarity with digital therapeutics, wearables, adaptive algorithms, or sensor‑based monitoring in healthcare.
We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — we’d love to hear from you.
Application Process
Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal on the closing date with your CV and cover letter.
Where to apply
Website: https://my.corehr.com/pls/coreportal_rcsip/erq_jobspec_details_form.jobspec?p_id=050932
Requirements
Research Field: Technology » Medical technology
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Royal College of Surgeons Ireland
Country: Ireland
Contact
City: Dublin
Website: http://www.rcsi.ie/careers
Street: 121/122 St. Stephen's Green
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