Research Assistant (Fixed Term)

We wish to appoint a Research Assistant to work on a clinical trial called the Autism-CHIME (Children's Improvisational Music Therapy Evaluation) Study at the Autism Research Centre (ARC), in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge. The study will evaluate whether improvisational music therapy is effective at improving autistic children's social communication skills, and their wellbeing.

The Department has an outstanding international reputation in the field of psychiatric research, rated the best psychiatry department in the UK and in Europe. The ARC's mission is to conduct research that both deepens our understanding of autism, and has real-world relevance for improving the health and wellbeing of autistic people and their families. The ARC views autism as both a disability and an example of neurodiversity. The ARC's values are summarised here: https://www.autismresearchcentre.com/our-values/. The ARC values inclusion for autistic people to maximise their wellbeing, and consults with the autism community on every research project it undertakes. 

The appointee will be supervised by Dr Artur Jachke, the Assistant Research Professor leading the project, and work with other members of the team from the ARC (Professors Simon Baron-Cohen and Carrie Allison), the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) (Professor Helen Odell-Miller and Dr Jonathan Pool), and the University of Rochester (Dr David Greenberg, also at the ARC). This clinical trial is funded by the charity Autism Action (formerly The Autism Centre of Excellence at Cambridge (ACE)), following generous donations from the John Lambton Estate, the Rosetrees Trust and the Stoneygate Trust.

The Research Assistant will primarily be employed to code Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC) assessments. They will also support project administration, including communicating with schools and parents/carers, data entry, and community engagement, and will participate in team meetings. It is essential that the successful applicant is already trained in coding BOSCC assessments. 

The successful applicant will have a good degree in Psychology or a related relevant discipline. Experience of working on a school-based research project or a clinical trial is essential. Essential qualities include strong organisational and communication skills, especially with children, parents, and teachers, and excellent attention to detail, time management skills, and an ability to work independently. Desirable qualities include experience working with autistic children, an understanding of research methods, basic statistics (e.g., use of SPSS or R), and data manipulation (e.g., using Excel).

Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Artur Jaschke (aj723@medschl.cam.ac.uk). If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Simon Gurry, HR Coordinator(hradminpsychiatry@medschl.cam.ac.uk).

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 31 July 2027 in the first instance.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click 'Apply' above.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

Advert information