Senior Research Assistant in Community Wellbeing

We are seeking a motivated and skilled candidate with expertise in Public Health, specifically in the area of drugs and alcohol.

As part of a multi-disciplinary research team, you will work closely with the Principal Investigator to support the delivery of a project focused on developing culturally appropriate programmes for South Asian and Muslim (SAM) communities.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of fieldwork, including visits to at least two drug and alcohol addiction recovery services across the UK
• Lead on participant recruitment and conduct qualitative research using participatory methods and semi-structured interviews
• Analyse data, contribute to co-design workshops, write reports, and contribute to academic papers. Where required, public involvement (PI) activities
• Make independent decisions to ensure timely and effective completion of task

Ideally the candidate will have a strong understanding of the language, cultural norms, and lived experiences within South Asian communities.

This is a 12-week full time fixed term role. Part-time will also be considered.

About the Project

The overall cost to UK society in 2020 was more than £36 Billion when drug related harms and services are taken into account - of which drug treatment and prevention cost £553 million (HMG Review of Drugs -- evidence pack), or approximately £350/year per capita (From Harm to Hope). At the regional level, hospital admissions relating to substance use have increased in Newcastle in recent years and are typically higher than the national average.

Ambulance callouts related to alcohol, place time and resource pressure on the emergency services, as well as having potential to impact workers physically and emotionally. The impact of illicit drugs on the ambulance service is yet to be fully understood. The rate of deaths related to drug misuse in Newcastle is higher than the national average and is continuing to increase (Drug Market Profile. Project Adder 2023). While the Project Adder report for drug use in the region is comprehensive, it does not consider demographics outside of age and gender, emphasising the challenge at the cultural level.

About the Team

This project is being delivered by the School of Community Wellbeing, part of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Northumbria University.

About You

Applicants should hold a PhD and have demonstrable specialist expert knowledge in Public Health, preferably in the drugs and alcohol area.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact zeb.sattar@northumbria.ac.uk.

To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'. Your application should include a covering letter and a CV.

Apply Before: 14/10/2025, 23:55