Clinical Research Fellow - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Clinical Research Fellow - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us:

The Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences (CNS) at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), Kings College London, is a world-leading research centre specialising in neuroimaging and psychopharmacology. Our multidisciplinary teams combine expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry, imaging, and pharmacology to explore how drugs and psychiatric conditions influence brain function and behaviour. With state-of-the-art MRI, PET, and EEG facilities, the CNS provides a dynamic environment for investigating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mental health and the effects of novel pharmacological compounds. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge translational research within one of the UKs leading research centres.

About the role:

This is a full-time post and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31st August 2029.

Applications are invited for a Clinical Research Fellow to lead cutting-edge translational research within the Department of Neuroimaging. The post-holder will be responsible for running a patient-facing neuroimaging study investigating paranoia in individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis, collecting a range of clinical, imaging, behavioural, and cognitive data.

Additionally, the candidate will act as the clinical lead for two experimental psychopharmacology studies examining paranoia in healthy volunteers following the administration of THC, the main active component of cannabis.

Working within a thriving, multidisciplinary environment alongside computational, cognitive, experimental medicine, and psychopharmacology researchers, the Clinical Research Fellow will lead day-to-day study operations. Duties encompass participant identification, screening, and clinical assessments, liaising with study participants and pharmacy, paradigm delivery, data curation, and study reporting. The post-holder will collaborate closely with interdisciplinary team members to support trial delivery, integrate translational findings, and contribute to peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and the department's international visibility.

This role is ideally suited to a psychiatrist who has recently completed their clinical training and possesses prior research experience. The post-holder will be expected to prioritise operational and clinical workloads, allocate resources, and make autonomous day-to-day decisions while appropriately escalating clinical risks and scientific challenges. Training will be fully provided for candidates requiring development in specific technical aspects of the role. The candidate will also be expected to maintain clinical duties in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM, ~10%) and hold a SLaM honorary contract.

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential Criteria

1. Full GMC registration with a valid licence to practice.
2. Relevant clinical and/or research experience, particularly in psychosis and mood disorders (preferably beyond core psychiatry training).
3. Previous experience in clinical trials or experimental psychopharmacology research.
4. Knowledge and/or prior experience of recruitment and data collection in clinical support-seeking participants with psychosis.
5. Knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) in clinical trials and knowledge of Research Governance Frameworks.
6. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
7. Ability to work independently as well as within a team.
8. Good organisational and time management skills, including ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines.

Desirable Criteria

1. PhD submitted or awarded in the topic of Cognitive Science, Psychopharmacology, Neuroimaging, Neuroscience or related disciplines.
2. Scripting skills and experience in one or more open-source languages (e.g. Python, R).
3. Prior experience/knowledge of computational psychiatry methods for modelling cognitive tasks.
4. Experience in the use of neuroimaging analysis (fMRI, MRI) to study mechanisms of brain function.
5. Previous experience with data collection in those within the psychosis spectrum (e.g. clinical high risk/schizophrenia).
6. Previous experience and knowledge of research methods and study design in clinical trials/experimental/psychopharmacology.
7. Experience in (co-)supervising Bachelors and masters student projects.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.