Research Fellow in Psychology

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join our 23-month project evaluating the 'Making Every Contact Count' (MECC) programme in Bolton. This programme aims to improve health and wellbeing outcomes through brief, opportunistic conversations on healthy lifestyle choices, delivered by Local Authority, health, and social care staff. The project is guided by the RE-AIM framework to assess the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of MECC across diverse community settings. This project is funded by the School for Public Health Research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The Research Fellow will play a crucial role in the evaluation of the MECC programme, focusing on its implementation, reach, effectiveness, and fidelity. This role will involve a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative and qualitative data collection, fidelity assessment, and economic modelling.

The Research Fellow will work closely with project partners (i.e. Bolton City Council Public Health Team and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust), health and social care professionals, and community stakeholders to generate actionable insights that inform future practice.

This role is fixed-term, full time, for 23 months and will start in June 2025. 

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 therefore the successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. 

ABOUT THE TEAM

The applicant will be guided and supported by Dr Angela Rodrigues (Associate Professor, Northumbria University) in a team consisting of Bolton City Council Public Health Team and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust partners, academic colleagues from Sheffield University, University of Oxford, University of Greater Manchester and Lancaster University. This also includes patient and public involvement.

You will be embedded in the MECC research group at Northumbria University. The group brings together interdisciplinary experts from both academia and practice in the fields of Psychology, Social Work, Public Health, Business, and Health and Social Care across Northern England with the shared aim of advancing the evidence base for MECC. The group, led by Dr Angela Rodrigues, has strong links with Fuse and the ARC NENC and works with fellow academics at the other North East Universities along with relevant stakeholders from the NHS and Local Authorities including the regional MECC strategy group.

You will be formally based in the Department of Psychology, within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University, City Campus. 

ABOUT YOU

To be successful in the role you will have: 

• Excellent qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, and experience in mixed-methods research, including survey design, qualitative interviewing, and data triangulation.
• Strong understanding of intervention development and evaluation frameworks, particularly RE-AIM, and behavioural science tools (e.g. Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs); Theoretical Domains Framework), and knowledge of the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach, including its principles, implementation strategies, and evaluation within health and social care settings is desirable. 

Ability to travel for purpose of data collection to various locations in the UK is essential.  

You will hold a PhD, have submitted your PhD or be about to submit your PhD in the next two months, or have equivalent experience, in in Public Health, Behavioural Science, Health Psychology, or a related field.

Further information is available in the person specification.   

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Dr Angela Rodrigues (angela.rodrigues@northumbria.ac.uk).

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