Research and Innovation Assistant

This is a 19-month fixed term role requiring a full-time employee.

About the Role

Nottingham Trent University has one of the largest academic units of Psychology in the UK with over 120 academic staff and has an excellent reputation for its theoretical and applied research. NTU Psychology has a lively and friendly community of experimental and applied psychologists and provides a varied portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

We have an opportunity for a post-graduate Research Assistant to support a 19-month project in the development and delivery of a hybrid VR/classroom training course in hazard perception for young tractor drivers. The successful candidate may be employed at Grade E or Grade F depending on qualifications. The project is led by Prof. David Crundall.

You will work with a small team to help create and validate our training course, and will then deliver it to students based in agricultural colleges around the UK, and to Young Farmers Clubs. You will help evaluate the course by collecting pre-course and post-course measures of attitudes and hazard perception skills, and undertake analyses to help identify ways to improve the course.

This 19-month post would be an ideal opportunity for a candidate with an undergraduate degree or post-graduate qualification in psychology (or equivalent), who is looking to undertake applied research, and gain lecturing/presentation experience at the same time. Extensive experience within a specific field (e.g., road safety, agricultural safety) may be considered as an alternative to traditional qualifications however. The successful candidate will have a confident and engaging presentation style, and should feel comfortable presenting to groups of students.

In addition, it would be beneficial, but not essential, to have experience in any of the following areas: traffic and transport psychology in general (and hazard perception in particular); virtual reality hardware and software; video editing skills; competence with R studio. Given the commuting requirements and the need to transport VR headsets, you must have a UK driving license, and be able to stay overnight at the more distant training delivery locations.

For more details, please take a look at the role profile. We'll still consider applications even if you don't meet every single one of the requirements, so don't be put off if you don't match them perfectly.

Interview Date: w/c 1st September 2025

About Us

The Transport Research in Psychology group (TRiP) is based in NTU Psychology. We are a small team of academics and researchers interested in applying psychological theories and techniques to help reduce death and injury on our roads.

For any informal queries about the role or the team, please contact Prof. David Crundall at david.crundall@ntu.ac.uk

Join Us

• Up to 30 days annual leave per year plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata
• Flexibility - take ownership over how you get your work done. We're open to different working patterns and approaches.
• Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
• Access to a wealth of formal and informal professional development opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
• Range of health and wellbeing services, including a Health Cash Plan, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.
• And a whole lot more…Find out more about the range of benefits we offer.

Come and be part of our success. Apply today.

Safe and Inclusive

At NTU, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our students and colleagues. By championing positive wellbeing, we promote an environment where all can thrive and reach their full potential. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team.

Please note that unfortunately, this role has been assessed as ineligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system however, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. For more information visit the Government Skilled Worker visa support page. However, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route. Please consult the Home Office website for further information.

Please note that this role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and successful applicants will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions.

Safeguarding Statement

Nottingham Trent University is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all colleagues to share this commitment.

If you are successful, you will be required to undertake an enhanced application and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The post for which you are applying is exempt from Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 requiring any spent convictions to be declared. Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post. Before you apply we recommend you ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website