Job overview

Do you have an interest in research? 

Are you passionate about improving the care for people newly diagnosed with dementia, and their carers? 

If yes, we are looking to a appoint a new Research Assistant on the DETERMIND study.

Running since 2019, DETERMIND is the largest cohort in the UK exploring and seeking to improve the post-diagnostic care pathway for newly diagnosed people with dementia and their carers in England (www.determind.org.uk).

The DETERMIND Programme seeks to answer the following questions:

·       What is it that enables one family to live well with dementia and another with ostensibly the same illness and challenges to have an awful experience?

·       Which groups have better or worse outcomes following diagnosis of dementia and why are there inequalities in care and outcomes?

·       What can we learn from the experiences of people with dementia and their carers to deliver care and support that maximises quality of life for all?

As a Research Assistant you will be involved in collecting novel data and supporting the publication of high quality, internationally recognised research that has already contributed to important policy changes within dementia care research.

The post is ideal for people interested in a future career undertaking a PhD or Clinical Doctorate, and many of our previous Research Assistants have been successful in obtaining these positions post-DETERMIND.

Main duties of the job

As Research Assistant, you will be based at the Centre for Dementia Studies, University of Sussex (Falmer), although during the week you  will be required to travel extensively across Sussex, Surrey and Kent to undertake home visits with DETERMIND participants.

Completing these participant visits are a key component of this role and are crucial to the success of the project and so it is likely you will be ‘in the field’ for a large proportion of your time.

Other key duties ill include:

• Updating the DETERMIND participant database
• Recruiting any new eligible participants to the study
• Booking in participant home visits and completing the delivery of research questionnaires.

Our researchers are encouraged to work flexibly to accommodate the wishes of DETERMIND participants when setting up home visits. This may involve earlier starts or later finishes. However, there will be opportunities to claim-back’ these hours during the week.

Following the successful completion of these key responsibilities, you will be offered numerous opportunities, such as:

• Involvement in the publication of research in high impact academic journals.
• Analysis of qualitative and/or quantitative data
• The systematic review of literature and the write-up of papers

Many of our previous Research Assistants have been co-authors on our publications and have been encouraged and supported to take a lead on papers in areas of interest to them.

Working for our organisation

You will be one of a small team of Research Assistants working on DETERMIND,  under the supervision of the Principal Research Fellow and DETERMIND Programme Manager, Dr Ben Hicks.  The programme also has researchers at recruitment sites in London and Newcastle. 

The team is friendly and highly motivated to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers through research. There is a trusting and collegial atmosphere within the team and researchers have a lot of autonomy over their job role.

Many of our previous DETERMIND researchers have been supported both academically and financially to write-up and present papers at national and international conferences; offering them opportunities to network with other academics working in dementia care and develop their own research interests.