Research Assistant in the Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences

About us

The Research Assistant will join the Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences (FANS), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London. The IoPPN aims to change and shape how we understand, prevent and treat mental health and other conditions that affect the brain. We work to transform care for people who are affected by mental health and neurological conditions, through world-class research, education and training, to serve communities locally and globally.

FANS is one of Europe's largest research groups and one of the few teams in the world bringing together leading experts in brain development and pro and antisocial behaviours. We believe it is essential to investigate the determinants of normal development to understand abnormal behaviour (or illness).

Brain Health in Gen 2020 is a cutting-edge prospective longitudinal study aiming to assess how the prenatal mother-baby environment, including exposures such as maternal COVID-19, impacts upon early brain development and later childhood outcomes.

About the role

This post holder will contribute to the on-site effective and efficient running of research activities within the Brain Health in Gen2020 study, providing comprehensive research and administrative support to the project and supporting all aspects of study delivery. This includes participant screening and recruitment, liaising with families, obtaining informed consent, conducting neurodevelopmental and cognitive assessments, collecting and managing study data, and ensuring adherence to research governance and ethical standards.

The role involves working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including the Principal Investigators, Project Manager, research and clinical teams, as well as study participants and their families. Meticulous attention to detail is essential, along with the ability to manage one's own workload effectively. This position is suited for an enthusiastic, curious and self-motivated individual seeking to contribute to research aiming to inform and support young children and families.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 12 months in the first instance, with the possibility of extension if funding allows.

This post is an on-site role only (no hybrid option).

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• Upper second-class bachelor's degree (or higher) in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences, or a related discipline.
• Experience working with children and/or families in research or clinical settings.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to confidently work with families and different stakeholders.
• Excellent knowledge of common neurobehavioral, developmental and cognitive testing batteries, including experience in administration and scoring.
• Highly organised with excellent record keeping and attention to detail.
• Highly proficient using IT, including standard software (Microsoft Office) and data entry systems (e.g., REDCap, Qualtrics).
• Able to work independently as well as in a team and be flexible as required.
• Demonstrates understanding of research ethics and data protection.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge and interest in developmental neuroscience/psychology.
• Experience conducting or supporting neuroimaging, psychophysiological, or biological data collection.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to communicate ideas to specialists and non-specialist audiences.
• Experience in administering and scoring of clinical diagnostic neurodevelopmental assessments.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our 'How we Recruit' pages.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health clearances.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert earlier if we receive a sufficient number of applications.