Research Assistant/Associate - Parkinsons Disease (Newcastle, GB) presso None

Salary: Research Assistant: £33,002 - £34,620 per annum

            Research Associate: £35,608 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 06 October 2025

The Role

Do you want to be at the forefront of ground-breaking research that aims to revolutionise the development of a cure for Parkinson's disease?

Join our team as a Research Assistant/Associate for the prestigious ESPRC-funded TORUS Programme Grant.

The TORUS research programme is focused on an innovative approach that addresses the significant difficulty of measuring the effectiveness of new drugs in improving patients' symptoms and quality of life. By developing a cutting-edge platform of sensing technologies, specifically designed for use in patients' own homes, we will accurately measure changes in mobility-related behaviours over extended periods of time, spanning weeks and months.

The programme concludes with a clinical proof of concept research study in a patient cohort, with the technology being deployed in approximately 30 homes across Newcastle and Bristol. This is an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate to lead in the design and conduct of this proof-of-concept study.

Working in collaboration with the wider TORUS team at Newcastle University and the University of Bristol, alongside the NHS and prominent multinational pharmaceutical companies, this project offers an exceptional opportunity to drive impactful change at the intersection of Engineering, Computer Science, and Health Science. You will be part of a diverse and interdisciplinary team, combining expertise from various fields to tackle one of the most significant challenges in medical research.

Newcastle University are committed to the professional career development of all our colleagues. You will benefit from a range of excellent development opportunities including internal and external training, active institutional membership of specialist networking groups and opportunities to gain experience of other areas of advancement and University professional services.

This post is fulle time, fixed term until 30/09/2028.

We would welcome requests for flexible working and depending on the needs of the role, blended working opportunities to work remotely as well as on campus may be considered. The hiring manager will discuss the requirements of the role, should you be invited to interview.

If you are considering relocating to join us, should you be successful in your application you can find out about our relocation package options here.

For informal enquiries please contact: Mae Hazell, TORUS Project Manager ([email protected])

To apply, please attach your CV and a cover letter that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria for the position, as outlined in the Person Specification of the Job Description.

Key Accountabilities

• Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value'
• Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
• Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
• Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute
• May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
• Review the relevant literature relating to this work
• Conduct qualitative research with people with lived experience (PwLE) of Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
• Collaboratively lead the TORUS proof of concept deployment study which will include designing the study, developing protocols, undertaking pilot work, recruiting participants, conducting the study, cleaning and analysing data and disseminating study results in peer-reviewed journals and/or high-ranking conferences
• Assist in general project administration duties, such as the organisation of project meetings and the authoring of project reports and deliverables. Provide regular written and/or oral feedback on progress to TORUS resaerch team
• Help to organise and facilitate co-design workshops and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) activities with PwLE of PD

The Person (Essential)

 Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
• Detailed subject knowledge (PI to describe subject knowledge required) in the area of research
• Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
• Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications
• Experience conducting quantitative research, carrying out data analysis and writing research papers
• Experience recruiting participants to a research study
• Experience of preparing and submitting applications and documentation to Research Ethics Committees and other regulatory bodies e.g., Health Research Authority
• Experience of working in a patient facing role
• Experience of patient and public involvement activities
• An understanding of legal and ethical frameworks relating to privacy and consent processes

Desirable

• Experience of digital health-related research, including data management and analysis
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals with significant author contributions (e.g. as first or second author)
• Research presentations at national or international meetings
• Knowledge of conducting research on people with Parkinson’s or other long-term conditions

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word, across a range of stakeholder groups. Excellent presentation skills, ability to adapt to expert or lay audience as required
• Ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team across multiple institutions
• Excellent organisational ability and time management skills in order to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities

Desirable

• Evidence of self-motivation and a commitment to learning
• Punctuality and initiative
• Ability to work independently and to seek guidance when unclear

Qualifications

• A PhD in the research area required (for Research Associate level)
• A good honours degree (or equivalent) with subject knowledge in the relevant area (for Research Assistant level)

Desirable 

• A degree in a patient facing health sciences subject (e.g., medicine, physiotherapy, paramedic training, nursing, psychology)
• Experience with applying clinical rating scales or clinically examining patients with neurological disease

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver  Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 28549