Senior Research Fellow

We have an exciting opportunity to be part of a  large NIHR funded study exploring what is working and not working in the care of people at the end of their lives https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR167160

About the role

The study is led by Associate Professor Susie Pearce at the University of Plymouth (UoP), with project partners located at various universities, NHS institutions and organisations in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. The study uses a participatory realist approach and has four work packages. This post will work with two of the work packages - the qualitative case studies in work package 1 and participatory realist workshops in work package 4.  You will be based at UoP and line-managed by Susie. You will work closely with the principal investigator Susie who is leading the case studies and Mark Pearson (Professor of Implementation Science, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull) who is leading the realist synthesis and participatory realist workshops.  You will also work closely with all the co investigators and the rest of the research team supporting the day-to-day running of the qualitative case studies and the study as a whole.

The position will suit a talented post-doctoral, qualitative/ realist researcher who is confident in undertaking qualitative data collection within health and care  settings, and expereince of participatory and realist research. You will co-lead the realist participatory workshops and analysis and have an active role in report writing. Applicants who have previously undertaken research in sensitive research areas with vulnerable populations are particularly sought.

The post will be based in the School of Nursing and Midwifery within the Faculty of Health. The School of Nursing and Midwifery works in partnership with local NHS trusts and other health care providers to drive forward clinical research and support students in their learning to become the best nurses and midwives they can be. An interdisciplinary approach to research covers, health services and delivery research,  digital technologies, workforce research, and how knowledge is translated into practice and policy.

For more information on School of Nursing and Midwifery please visit our dedicated webpage at https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools

For this role, you will need to be on site 3 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

Due to the nature of this role, a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service Check will be required.

The successful candidate may be required to obtain an ATAS Certificate prior to this research being undertaken.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact Susie Pearce: by email at susie.pearce@plymouth.ac.uk

Interviews will be on 10 December via a zoom meeting. You will be notified if you have been shortlisted or not.

This is a full-time position working 37 hours per week on a fixed-term basis until 31 January 2028. Requests for part time working will be considered.

Closing date:  12 midnight, Sunday 30 November 2025

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