Last Date: 21st November 2023.
Applications are invited for a full-time, 18-month fixed term role as a Research Assistant in the School of Psychology, starting in February. The post is funded by a Nuffield Foundation grant awarded to Principal Investigator (PI) Dr Kirsten Abbot-Smith (Kent) in collaboration with Co-Investigators at Sheffield, Manchester and UCL (see for details https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/classroom-intervention-to-improve-conversation-skills).
The successful candidate will play a key role in developing an intervention to support conversation skills in primary school classrooms. You will help co-ordinate a multi-site feasibility study, working closely with the PI and colleagues to develop materials for a whole-classroom based programme designed to improve social conversation skills in Year 4 mainstream pupils. You will run feasibility studies and studies assessing test reliability.
What will you be doing, day to day?
- Assisting colleagues in co-developing the intervention programme and materials;
- Conducting data collection in line with the grant proposal;
- Ensuring the data is scored and stored in the correct format for analysis.
What skills and experience will you bring to the role?
- A completed MSc / MA (for which you should upload degree transcripts) in Psychology, Education or Speech and Language Therapy OR undergraduate in the aforementioned plus equivalent relevant experience as a teacher or Speech and Language therapist;
- Excellent prior training in and understanding of the development of language and social communication;
- Experience of working with UK state schools;
- Experience of administering, scoring and interpreting standardised tests or other measures of child language.
What can we offer you in return?
- A friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing
- 43 days’ leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
- An excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
- On-campus cinema/theatre, sports facilities, library, nursery and food outlets, set among green, open space
- Study while you work discounts, cycle to work scheme, local business discounts
- On-site parking
If you have the qualifications, skills and experience we are looking for, we would welcome your application.
Please see the links below to view the full job description and also to apply for this post. For informal enquiries, please email Dr Kirsten Abbot-Smith on [email protected]. If you require further information regarding the application process please contact [email protected] quoting ref number: HSS-178-23
Application Deadline: Tuesday 21st November 2023
Interview Date: Thursday 30th November 2023
