Senior Research Projects Officer

Hours: Part time hours of 0.5 FTE / 18.25 hours per week.

Contract Type: Fixed-term until 31^st May 2027 

Expected Interview date: TBC

Expected start date: 06/2026 

About the role

Under the direction of the principal investigator, you will organise and support the delivery and coordination of community engagement and outreach activities and events.

The role contributes to a research programme focused on improving inclusion in dementia research among underserved communities. The programme works in partnership with community organisations in Brighton to co-design culturally appropriate approaches to engagement and to connect community participation with healthcare and research pathways. This role is central to developing and implementing a model that integrates community engagement, primary care pathways, and research participation.

You will enjoy working with a variety of tasks that will evolve as the research develops. Core tasks will include:

• Lead the co-design and delivery of community engagement activities in partnership with organisations such as the Brighton & Hove Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership (BMECP)
• Independently plan, organise, and deliver workshops, focus groups, and outreach activities in community settings
• Develop and implement participant recruitment strategies through trusted community networks
• Act as the primary liaison between the research programme, community organisations, and healthcare/research partners
• Manage the documentation, evaluation, and reporting of engagement activities, including synthesis of qualitative feedback
• Support the integration of community engagement activities with primary care and research delivery pathways (e.g. NIHR Research Delivery Network)
• Contribute to the development of communication materials and dissemination of findings to both community and academic audiences

About you

You will be an organised, proactive, and confident professional with experience in community engagement, public involvement, or outreach, ideally within health or research settings involving underrepresented groups.

You will be comfortable working with diverse communities and sensitive topics, and able to build trust with community partners and participants.

You will be a confident and creative administrator, with strong IT and organisational skills, who is able to engage well and communicate clearly with a range of staff and external stakeholders

You will be able to work independently, take initiative, and manage multiple strands of activity, while contributing to a collaborative research environment.

You will have experience in events management, public engagement and understand the value of patient participation in research.

You will be versatile, outgoing and enjoy working closely with colleagues to deliver a high standard of support while having the freedom to create new systems.

Experience working with underserved or underrepresented communities is highly desirable.

About our School

Please find further information regarding the School of Life Sciences on our website.

The School of Life Sciences is proud to hold a Silver Athena Swann Award. 

The School of Life Sciences is part of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

Why work here

Find out more about our reward and benefits package.

Find out about our equality, diversity and inclusion

Further Key Information

Please contact: Mahoud Maina (m.bukar-maina@sussex.ac.uk) or Trudy Myers (t.myers@sussex.ac.uk)
for informal enquiries.

For full details and how to apply see our vacancies page.

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

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