Newcastle University
NIHR MDC Research Assistant / Associate
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
NIHR MDC Research Assistant / Associate
Research Assistant/Associate – NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium
Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University
Salary
- Research Assistant: £33,951 to £35,608
- Research Associate: £36,636 to £46,049
Benefits
Newcastle University offers an excellent benefits package, including:
- Generous holiday allowance with the option to purchase additional days
- Strong pension schemes
- Health and wellbeing initiatives
- Recently awarded Gold Athena Swan charter for gender equality and Bronze Race Equality Charter award
- Commitment to sanctuary and disability confident employment
Closing Date
23 July 2026
About the Role
This fixed-term (21 months) position is based within the Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute and is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Maternity Disparities Consortium (MDC)—a £50 million initiative to address inequities in maternal health through research and capacity development.
Key Focus Areas
- Pregnancy, birth, and early postnatal maternal health
- Cardiometabolic risk prevention and management
- Equitable perinatal mental health and psychosocial wellbeing
Location & Work Arrangements
The postholder will be based at Newcastle University, which operates a blended working model but expects the majority of work to be on-site.
Project Responsibilities
The successful candidate will assist in delivering a national research programme, supporting:
- Data collection, analysis, and interpretation
- Capacity development and collaboration across health and care systems
- Research dissemination (publications, reports, conferences)
- Community engagement and co-production in perinatal health interventions
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Please contact Prof Nicola Heslehurst (nicola.heslehurst@newcastle.ac.uk) or Dr Ryc Aquino (ryc.aquino@newcastle.ac.uk) for further information.
Key Accountabilities
Research Assistant (Core Duties)
- Collect, analyse, and interpret research data, presenting conclusions clearly
- Coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams to achieve research objectives
- Present progress to Principal Investigators and review groups
- Document findings via reports, papers, or other dissemination methods
- Collaborate with colleagues across cardiometabolic risk and mental health themes
- Work with community stakeholders to ensure meaningful involvement
Additional Responsibilities for Research Associates
- Develop methods or interventions to enhance research quality
- Contribute to grant applications and independent research proposals
- Present findings at conferences or publish in high-impact journals
- Apply participatory methodologies (e.g., Appreciative Inquiry) for intervention co-design
Other Duties
- Administrative support as required
- Attend workshops/conferences
- Participate in team meetings
- Maintain professional development through training
- Comply with health & safety, GDPR, and ethical policies
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
For Both Roles
- Ability to manage complex, prioritised workloads independently
- Intervention/research experience, with preference for implementation science
- Qualitative research skills, including co-production and participatory approaches
- Experience with community engagement and stakeholder collaboration
- Strong analytical abilities (experience with research softwarecommended)
- Clear communication skills (verbal, electronic, written)
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
For Research Associate
- PhD in behavioural/health/implementation science required
- Demonstrated grant/scholarly publishing experience
- Proven conference presentation and methodological expertise
Desirable
- Patient and public involvement (PPIE) experience
- NHS settings research familiarity
- Maternity/mental health/cardiometabolic health focus
Attributes & Behaviour
- Evidence-based research approach
- Team collaboration in a busy academic environment
- Commitment to continued professional development and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)
- Understanding of ethical governance and clinical regulations
Qualifications
- Research Assistant: A recognised honours degree in health/behavioural/implementation science
- Research Associate: A PhD in the relevant field, with practical research experience preferred
Newcastle University’s Commitments
Our university is a global hub of equality, diversity, and inclusion, affirming:
- Ranked Gold for gender equality (Athena Swan)
- Approved Disability Confident employer
- University of Sanctuary—stewarding refugees, survivors of oppression, and widening participation
All nationalities are encouraged to apply. We have a long-standing NUS May Day National Convention grant holder status for researchers.
Requisition ID: 29533 Join us to drive impactful, high-quality research in reducing maternity health disparities.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills