Research Associate

Senior Research Associate

Lancaster Medical School

Location: Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 full time, fixed term

Closing Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026

Interview Date: Wednesday 21 October 2026

Reference: 0956-26

MHRG Senior Research Associate

Division of Health Research (Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research) Grade 7

Full-time

Lancaster University has a world-class reputation as a centre for excellence in teaching and research. It is in the top 1 per cent of universities in the world and highly ranked in each of the UKs major university league tables. Lancaster Medical School, within Lancaster University's Faculty of Health and Medicine, is seeking to appoint an experienced Senior Research Associate to join the Mouth Matters in Mental Health Trial-2. The trial is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to evaluate a link work intervention for supporting dental access in people with severe mental health difficulties. It is being conducted across five sites in the United Kingdom (Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Pennine Manchester, and London) with a truly multidisciplinary team of health researchers, dental researchers, and people with lived experience.

You will be responsible for conducting a realist-informed process evaluation alongside the clinical trial, with support from the senior management team. They will have a strong background in qualitative research methods and health-related research and a PhD in a related discipline (or equivalent experience). Knowledge of mental health research and an understanding of realist methodologies and the processes associated with intervention and evaluation studies would be advantageous.

The post will be based across Lancaster University and Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. It will involve some travel within the UK.

Our team offer a friendly environment that strongly supports the individual needs of each employee and actively promotes a healthy work-life balance. The Faculty is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies and has held a Silver Athena SWAN award since 2014 in recognition of its good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements and welcome applications from people in all diversity groups.

You will join Lancaster University on an 18-month contract, with a recommended start date of early 2027.

For further information on the role and to discuss any aspects of the position, please contact:

• Dr Jasper Palmier-Claus (Chief Investigator): j.palmier-claus@lancaster.ac.uk


• Dr Louise Laverty (Qualitative Lead); L.K.Laverty@leeds.ac.uk


• Dr Tasneem Patel (Trial Manager): tasneem.i.patel@lscft.nhs.uk

#s1-Gen

Lancaster University has a world-class reputation as a centre for excellence in teaching and research. It is in the top 1 per cent of universities in the world and highly ranked in each of the UKs major university league tables. Lancaster Medical School, within Lancaster University's Faculty of Health and Medicine, is seeking to appoint an experienced Senior Research Associate to join the Mouth Matters in Mental Health Trial-2. The trial is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to evaluate a link work intervention for supporting dental access in people with severe mental health difficulties. It is being conducted across five sites in the United Kingdom (Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Pennine Manchester, and London) with a truly multidisciplinary team of health researchers, dental researchers, and people with lived experience.
You will be responsible for conducting a realist-informed process evaluation alongside the clinical trial, with support from the senior management team. They will have a strong background in qualitative research methods and health-related research and a PhD in a related discipline (or equivalent experience). Knowledge of mental health research and an understanding of realist methodologies and the processes associated with intervention and evaluation studies would be advantageous.
The post will be based across Lancaster University and Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. It will involve some travel within the UK.
Our team offer a friendly environment that strongly supports the individual needs of each employee and actively promotes a healthy work-life balance. The Faculty is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies and has held a Silver Athena SWAN award since 2014 in recognition of its good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements and welcome applications from people in all diversity groups.
You will join Lancaster University on an 18-month contract, with a recommended start date of early 2027.