OxWell Schools Engagement and Evidence Lead

Location: Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX 

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic.

The Department of Psychiatry is based on the Warneford Hospital site in Oxford – a friendly, welcoming place of work with an international reputation for excellence. The Department has a substantial research programme, with major funding from Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and provides highly rated medical training in psychiatry. The Head of Department is Professor Belinda Lennox.

The OxWell Student Survey is one of the largest school-based mental health and wellbeing research programmes in England, working with schools, local authorities and commissioning organisations across the country to understand and improve the wellbeing of young people. This is an exciting opportunity to become the principal link between our research team and the secondary schools. Drawing on your own experience of the UK secondary school environment, you will help us understand what schools need from OxWell, identify and synthesise evidence on effective school-based interventions, and support schools to interpret and act on their own results through the OxWell data platform.

About the Role

The post is funded for 18 months and is based in the Department of Psychiatry at the Warneford Hospital.

You will act as the principal link between the OxWell Student Survey team and participating secondary schools, working out what schools want and need from the survey and its outputs, and feeding this into the design of the programme. You will draw on personal experience of the UK secondary school environment to build credible, trusted relationships with senior leaders, pastoral staff, SENCOs, EMHPs and safeguarding leads. You will support schools to interpret their own OxWell results, use the OxWell data platform to get the most from their data and implement recommended interventions and strategies.

About You

You will have a teaching qualification or a degree in education, or a relevant professional qualification in child and adolescent mental health practice (for example clinical psychology, mental health nursing, or Education Mental Health Practitioner training), together with substantial, first-hand experience of the UK secondary school environment, gained either through research, paid employment or in a substantial voluntary capacity. You will have knowledge of the mental health and wellbeing landscape for children and young people in England, including the role of schools, local authorities and commissioning bodies. Experience of working on or with large-scale school-based research or survey programmes is desirable.

Diversity

Committed to equality and valuing diversity.

Our active Psychiatry People and Culture teams and initiatives including our values and behaviours framework, work to make the Department of Psychiatry as supportive, welcoming and inclusive as possible.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application. Please see the University pages on the application process at https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/application-process.

The closing date for applications is 30 October 2026.

It is anticipated that interviews will take place on 16 November 2026 and will be face to face/online.

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