Senior Research Associate - ASCENT Researcher-in-Residence

University of East Anglia - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - School of Health Sciences

The Applied Research Collaboration - East of England (ARC EoE) has been awarded funding from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) to strengthen research capacity in adult and children’s social care. This project – ASCENT – will support the delivery of practice-based research, the use of evidence in the commissioning and delivery of care services, and the improvement of practitioners’ research skills. ASCENT will include local partners across social care, the third sector, and healthcare and build a diverse network. The ASCENT funding will facilitate several initiatives to enhance research culture and infrastructure in adult and children’s social care.

ASCENT is hosted by ARC EoE and supported by the NIHR Research Delivery Network – East of England (RDN- EoE). It is a collaboration of key partners in Social Care research and practice, led by Dr Naoko Kishita (University of East Anglia) and Prof Kathryn Almack (University of Hertfordshire).

This post is co-funded by the ASCENT programme, and the Norfolk County Council, and targets research capacity building in Children’s Social Care.

The Researcher-in-Residence (RiR) will support the development of research activities in Social Care. The RIR model has its roots in knowledge mobilisation theory and participatory research. It is based on co-creation of research with people who access care, their carers, and practitioners and it has been recently implemented in social care settings.

You will be employed by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and based at Norfolk County Council, as part of the ASCENT project aims. The RiR post will be hosted by the Children’s Services, Norfolk County Council. Children’s services are responsible for supporting and protecting children, young people and their families, by providing a range of services across the County to help them flourish. You will work alongside the Principal Social Worker and frontline teams.

You will also be supervised by the ASCENT team at UEA, Dr Naoko Kishita, while working closely with the ASCENT coordinator, Dr Lida Efstathopoulou. The wider supervisory team may include colleagues from UEA and the ARC East of England, as appropriate.

Post holders at this level will be experienced professional researchers and subject specialists, drawing upon knowledge gained from postgraduate research.

This part-time post (0.8 FTE/4 days a week) is available immediately on a fixed term basis until 6 September 2026.

A secondment will be considered, and internal applicants should please ensure that a secondment will be possible with their Line Manager/Head of Department, before submitting a formal application.

Further information on our great benefits package, including 44 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays and additional University Customary days (pro rata for part-time), can be found on our benefits page.

Closing date: 21 September 2025

The University holds an Athena Swan Silver Institutional Award in recognition of our advancement towards gender equality.