Postdoctoral Researcher: Qualitative Research

Post Date : 09-Feb-2024 Close Date : 03-Mar-2024

Job Title: Postdoctoral Researcher

Department: School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

Reporting to: Dr Michelle Flood or nominee.

Location: RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2

Contract/Duration: 4 Years

Remuneration: €50,540 per year (IUA Scale PD2 Pt 1 - annual increments will apply)

Closing Date: March 3rd 2024

Starting Date: October 1st 2024

Summary of Post

The SYNERG-IE Programme is an ambitious five-year programme supported by a €2.5m Applied Programme Grant (APRO) award from the Health Research Board in Ireland. Projects funded under this programme are designed to have an impact on the health and social care of individuals, population health, and the health system in Ireland and beyond.

SYNERG-IE is a multidisciplinary research programme designed in partnership with Sjögren's Ireland that aims to address longstanding challenges in the recognition, diagnosis, and management of Sjögren's (pronounced ‘show- grins'). Sjögren's is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting approximately 1 in 200 people that is associated with significant morbidity affecting quality of life. Although relatively common, its complexity means that early signs and symptoms are often missed, leading to delays in diagnosis of ten years or longer for many people.

This programme will adopt a collaborative and inclusive approach, combining the skills of multidisciplinary researchers, the insights of patients, and the needs of healthcare professionals and policymakers to bring about transformative change in Sjögren's care and research. Through involving people living with Sjögren's and healthcare professionals, the research will reflect the real-world experiences of Sjögren's and the findings will have maximum impact, leading to tangible improvements in care.

The SYNERG-IE Programme aims to make a difference to the lives of people affected by Sjögren's in many ways. By optimising prescribing practices and medicines use, people will experience more personalised and effective treatments. Co-design approaches will be used to develop improved care pathways to enhance care experiences. National guidance and policies will provide a clear framework for care, reducing the current delays in diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, the increased knowledge stemming from undergraduate and postgraduate education initiatives will improve awareness.

We want to recruit a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in qualitative research, evidence synthesis, and policy to support the ongoing activities of this exciting research programme.

Specifically, the duties of the post will be:

Develop study protocol(s) for pre-registration and study approval.

Lead a systematic review of clinical guidelines on the treatment of Sjögren's.

Lead development/adaptation of clinical guidelines with support from the programme team.

Contribute to additional related literature reviews (systematic/umbrella etc.)

Contribute to a collaborative priority setting process.

Write-up of results and preparation of reports for funder requirements and for dissemination to key stakeholders and via peer-reviewed journals and other channels e.g. co-authoring summaries with PPI contributors.

Contribute to the supervision of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students that may be working on the programme.

Participate in Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and engagement/outreach activities.

Comply with statutory legislation and School rules and requirements in furtherance of your own and general staff welfare and safety.

Undergo programmes of training and development as may be required from time to time.

Represent the best interests of the Programme/School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences/University at all times.

Qualifications – (Essential):

PhD in a relevant field (e.g. health services research, social sciences, psychology, social policy, or similar).

Knowledge & Experience – ( Essential):

Excellent writing skills and experience of publication in international peer review journals in a relevant field.

Significant experience with at least one of the following method(ologie)s: qualitative research, evidence synthesis, guideline development or policy development

Experience communicating research to academic, policy-maker and/or public audiences.

Practical experience of evaluating and interpreting complex scientific literature;

Understanding of the role of evidence synthesis to inform development of clinical guidelines;

Strong organisational and administrative skills with the ability to prioritise objectives and work under deadlines;

Knowledge & Experience – ( Desirable):

Project management experience.

Knowledge and experience of open research principles and practices.

Experience in evidence synthesis i.e. conducting and publishing systematic reviews, scoping reviews etc.

Experience working on interdisciplinary projects with multiple stakeholders including patients and the public.

A capacity to work collaboratively as part of a team as well as independently, in a non-structured environment.

We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — we'd love to hear from you. #rcsiar

Application Process

Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal on the closing date with your CV and cover letter.

Informal Enquiries can be directed to [email protected]. Please note we do not accept CVs directly.