Job description

As part of the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) hub hosted by King's College London and Partners, the postholder will be part of a dynamic centre dedicated to research methodology in mental health and neuroscience. This RSS hub is committed to helping researchers improve people's lives by supporting them to apply for and implement research funding focused on understanding how to prevent mental health and neurological difficulties and develop better treatments and care. The postholder will support the aims of the RSS to develop an accessible service for researchers seeking funding, to advance the methodology needed to conduct better research, to support researchers to gain confidence and skills for their career development, to support clinicians by supporting their research ideas, and to help researchers who are already funded to deliver on their study objectives.

With a focus on health economic aspects of study design and delivery, the postholder will provide pre- and post-application advice and support for researchers across England as part of a collaborative community of clinical academics and mental health methodologists. This will include one-to-one support, group workshops, and development and delivery of health economic training resources.

The postholder will be based within the King’s Health Economics research group, in the Health Service & Population Research Department at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London. The successful applicant will contribute to a thriving community that promotes rigorous and innovative application of economic methods within the mental health field.

Recognising the importance of positive research culture, RSS senior research fellows will be offered external mentors and access to professional development and transferable skills training opportunities, including leadership development programmes. Training for the postholder to develop new methodological skills will be funded and the postholder will be supported to carry out research into better research methods that other researchers can use. In addition, the postholder will be supported to collaborate directly on research grants of interest.

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract until 30th September 2028. We are open to discussions with part time and job-share applicants to accommodate diverse needs.

Key responsibilities

Health Economic Methodological Expertise

• Provide guidance on using health economic methods in applied mental health service research in one-to-one meetings and group workshops. 
• Develop, host, and review a programme of group-based ‘Ask the Expert’ sessions to support mental health research at the pre- and post-award stage. 
• Support the skills development of mental health researchers undertaking short placements within the NIHR RSS hub at King’s. 

Collaboration & Teamwork

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including clinicians, researchers, and other methodologists, to support the aims of the NIHR RSS hub and facilitate the development and delivery of applied mental health research. 
• Respond to requests for collaboration in areas of expertise and /or link applicants with other mental health economic methodological experts. 

Teaching & Training

• Contribute to the development of online training materials for core skills and methods in health economic research that will be permanently available to applicants on the NIHR RSS network website.  
• Contribute to the delivery of one-day in person ‘RSS support days’ for potential applicants in our partner locations (Oxford, Manchester, Leeds), and by request with other RSS Centres and research groups.  

Methodological innovation

• Be part of a health economic research working group to identify methodological topics that need to be addressed and contribute to the development of methodological innovations. 
• Contribute to activities that promote high quality health economic research, support knowledge exchange and methodological development within the RSS network, building research capacity for methodology in mental health and neuroscience. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria

1.       PhD in a relevant area (e.g., health economics). 

2.       Experience of conducting applied health economic research within health services research. 

3.       Experience of and an interest in the development of health economic methods within health services research. 

4.       Understanding of the application of both clinical trial-based and health economic modelling methods in the evaluation of health interventions. 

5.       Experience of line managing research staff and supervising research students. 

6.       Experience of teaching and training in health economic research methods to undergraduate/postgraduate students and/or applied health researchers. 

7.       Track record of high-quality publications in the field of health economics. 

8.       Track record of conference presentations and other methods of dissemination of research findings to a broad range of stakeholders.  

9.       Track record of academic citizenship, including supporting research staff and students and supporting internal and external research groups and organisations. 

10.   Track record of obtaining independent research grant funding. 

Desirable criteria

1.   Experience of applying to different NIHR funding streams. 

2.   Experience of innovation or creativity in research and/or teaching. 

Further information

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, which will include a short presentation.