Aston University

Research Associate

Birmingham B4 7ET

Key information

Pay
£41,885 to £46,970 a year, pro rata
Hours
Part-time
Contract
Contract
Workplace arrangement
On-site
Posted date
28 Oct 2026
Closing date
27 Nov 2026

About this role

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated researcher to join our multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists working on LADDERS, a £2.29 million national randomised controlled trial funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme. The trial is evaluating a parent-mediated anxiety intervention for children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and aims to improve access to evidence-based psychological support for children and families.

The successful applicant will be affiliated with the Aston Institute for Health & Neurodevelopment and work collaboratively with researchers at University College London (UCL), Leicester Clinical Trials Unit and NHS partners across the UK. Flexible hybrid and remote working arrangements are supported.

The researcher will take independent responsibility for defined aspects of the trial, including coordinating participant recruitment, conducting assessments of eligibility against protocol-defined clinical criteria and undertaking blinded outcome assessments. They will contribute to the methodological and scientific delivery of the research, ensuring high standards of data quality and research governance, and play an active role in data analysis, academic publications and dissemination. The role will also involve supporting and supervising students and collaborating with researchers and clinical partners across the UK.

We welcome applications from candidates with a PhD in psychology, health, behavioural science or a related discipline, or equivalent qualifications and substantial relevant research experience. Experience in mental health assessment or research involving children and young people with intellectual disabilities would be particularly valuable.