Research Assistant

About the Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Research Assistant to work on a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) funded grant: EMPoWER Effectiveness of a Multi-modal intervention to Promote Independence and WEllbeing among oldeR adults of South Asian heritage.

The proportion of older adults from South Asian heritage who are frail is growing and culturally adapted interventions tailored to meet their needs are required. Multi-modal interventions, incorporating exercise, nutritional advice, and social support, are effective in slowing the progression of frailty however, there is a lack of data on the effectiveness of these for South Asian older adults.

We aim to adapt existing multi-modal interventions involving exercise, nutrition, and peer support so that it is culturally sensitive. We plan to examine the feasibility of delivering this adapted intervention among South Asian older adults who are pre/mildly frail. The research will use a mixed methods approach to this feasibility study including quantitative and qualitative evaluation.

About You
Candidates should have a clinical qualification in physiotherapy, occupational therapy or other rehabilitation orientated specialty. Experience in applied health research is desirable but not essential, as you will learn in this role, which lends itself well to a secondment. Experience working with diverse communities would be particularly beneficial. Candidates will need to demonstrate an ability to organise their own workload, plan research activities to a high standard, ensuring agreed deadlines are met, and have excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.

About the School/Department/Institute/Project
The post will be based at the Wolfson Institute of Public Health, working with Professor Simon Conroy and the wider project team. The successful candidate may be given the opportunity to join the NIHR Academy and access further training and networking activities.

About Queen Mary
At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits
We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

The post is based at the Whitechapel Campus in London. It is available for 12 months, with an extension possible for up to 24 months. It, with an expected start date of June 2026. 

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