Research Associate (Fixed Term)

The Department Psychology is seeking a Research Associate to work on an exciting project! 

About the role 

As a part of a large interdisciplinary team you will contribute to a major programme of work developing a novel point-of-care detection technology for synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs; more commonly known as “Spice”). These drugs are endemic in the homeless community and the prison system. The detection technology will decrease the flow of drugs and support vulnerable users as part of a harm reduction strategy. 

The technology is built on a fluorescence spectral fingerprinting approach developed in our labs, DOI: 10.1039/c9ay00722a and https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/world-first-on-the-spot-test-for-synthetic-drug-spice-developed-at-university-of-bath/

The project is a true collaborative effort as part of a large (£1.3m) EPSRC grant, involving an interdisciplinary team of researchers from biochemistry, pharmacology, community pharmacy, physics, analytical chemistry, psychology, and computer science. 

Your role will be to understand the setting and service need for a point-of-care test, to develop protocols for using the test and to mediate trialling with partners using quantitative and qualitative methods. Collaborating with other researchers in the team to deliver the point-of-care technology, whist also a with a wide range of stakeholders including police forces, prisons, homeless charities, hostels, healthcare services, drug testing facilities, and people who use SCRAs.

This role is offered on a full time (36.5 hours per week) fixed term basis with an expected end date of 30/06/2024.

About you 

• Hold a PhD in Psychology, Psychiatry, Pharmacy or a related discipline.
• Experience of the addictions field or working with vulnerable individuals. 
• Be able to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders, people who use SCRAs, as well as scientists from other disciplines.

Informal enquiries are encouraged, and should be directed to Dr. Tom Freeman (tpf24@bath.ac.uk) or Jenny Scott (jenny.scott@bristol.ac.uk).

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