Research Fellow - Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Special Needs Care (SNC) is a medium size provider of supported living services for adults with intellectual disabilities. Located in Chester, we seek to promote the best outcomes possible for the people we support in terms of opportunity, engagement, and community involvement. We have developed a state-of-the-art digital technology for translating an evidence-based intervention called Active Support into an app. We have elaborated on the app’s features over the last four years. The app has been used by us and a select number of other providers in England and Wales.  

Evaluating the Positive Behaviour and Active Support (PBAS) app

Special Needs Care in collaboration with UCL and others has been awarded funding from NIHR to evaluate the app and determine whether a full Randomised Control Trial (RCT) of the app could be done. The team includes academic researchers, service providers, service commissioners, adults with a learning disability and staff from supported living services.

In the first year, the research will:

• evaluate whether service providers in England and Wales would be interested in using the app, and gauge their willingness to participate in a study,
• describe how provider organisations currently plan and monitor activity, and
• identify how best to design a future trial and an economic evaluation.

About you:

We are excited to hear from applicants who have the skills and experience detailed below:

• A strong (upper 2:1) first degree in Psychology, Social Care or a related discipline and a PhD in Psychology or a related discipline (or be very close to PhD completion).
• Experience of qualitative and/or quantitative research in intellectual disability/neurodevelopmental conditions or experience of doing research with social care service providers.
• Experience of managing complex and time sensitive projects.
• Insight into co-production with under-represented groups.
• The ability to form collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders.

You must be able to manage your workload against targets and agreed timetables. As a member of a large and diverse research team, the ability to form and maintain positive working relationships is essential.

Application process:

Email your CV and a 500-word statement on how you meet the essential and desirable criteria by clicking the apply button and emailing us directly. We look forward to receiving your application.

The closing date for applications is 10.12.23 at 23:59 GMT

A full person specification is available on request along with further information if required.  Click the apply button and request by email. Please leave the email subject heading unchanged. 

Online interviews will be held on Friday 15^th December 2023 over Zoom or Teams. If you need reasonable adjustments for the interviews, please advise in advance.

The appointment will be with Special Needs Care from 1^st January 2024. Fixed for 12 months in the first instance.

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