Clinical Research Associate in the Department of Psychological Medicine - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Clinical Research Associate in the Department of Psychological Medicine - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us

Based at the Department of Psychological Medicine, which is the largest department in the IoPPN and focuses on the interface between psychiatry and medicine, psychiatry and occupation, psychiatry and the military, and psychiatry in different settings.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for a foundation grade or equivalent doctor to gain and develop clinical research skills in psychiatry. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting a large multi-centre randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of sertraline in preventing depression in adults following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) funded by the National Institute of Health Research (see link below)

They will be based at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, one of the leading clinical research centres in the world. The role will involve following up the patients from the 2 Major Trauma Centres in London (King’s College Hospital, including PRUH and Royal London Hospital).

The post holder has the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of the study, including collection of clinical and other data on patients. Training in research methods will be provided, and the post-holder will develop skills in using gold-standard diagnostic and clinical methods in psychiatry, neurology and general medicine, which will provide a strong foundation for future research and clinical practice. They will also gain unique experience in the assessment and management of TBI and depression. They will also work closely with other research staff in the project and learn how to foster effective collaborative working relationships with a range of clinicians and methodologists. The post holder will have the opportunity to receive training in statistics and be encouraged to support manuscript writing. They will have mentoring into academia if they desire this.

The successful applicant will contribute to the successful conduct and completion of the research projects. The candidate will be expected to: contribute to the assessment of patients, ensure high quality care and safety of patients in the studies, assess and monitor patients using gold-standard clinical tools, monitor and ensure data quality and integrity, ensure an effective collaborative relationship with other researchers on the project, as well as with local clinical services, contribute to reports, and to data analysis and the dissemination findings. The post holder will be expected to support other research projects such as in diabetes and psychiatry as directed by the line manager.

This post will be offered on a part-time (60%FTE), fixed term contract until 29th May 2026.

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 valid license to practice
2. Background knowledge or interest in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neuropsychiatry
3. Experience of assessing patients with psychiatric disorders in NHS settings
4. Previous research experience
5. Excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective working relationships with patients and colleagues
6. Strong planning and organisational skills, including ability to work to and meet deadlines and flexibility in working hours

Desirable criteria

1. Knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
2. Publications and/or presentations of research findings
3. Additional qualifications such as intercalated BSc or MSc in health related or relevant subject
4. Ability to think creatively and critically
5. Ability to address research or audit questions 

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.