Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for 2 fixed term positions, to join the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation, as a Research Associate (Diagnostic Evaluation Healthcare Scientist), in a highly rewarding role delivering real impact to patient health.
The HRC in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation, one of fourteen NIHR HRCs, is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and delivered as a partnership between Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NuTH) and Newcastle University. Our focus is performing cutting edge research to produce evidence to help manufacturers in bringing their product to the market (or academics to evaluate diagnostics in research), as well as assisting NHS commissioners in making investment decisions. Our team conducts evaluations of diagnostic tests through clinical and economic evaluations which are consistently underpinned by stakeholder engagement.
- Interview date: 15 May 2024
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
Main duties of the job
You will have a PhD or Masters in a relevant area, with experience in conducting research evaluating medical devices or clinical tests. Applications from candidates with experience of care pathway analysis, qualitative research and health economic modelling are strongly encouraged.
We'd like to hear from motivated and enthusiastic researchers with the relevant experience and skills.
Working within a skilled multidisciplinary team, and closely with test developers and other collaborators, you will take the lead on research projects evaluating clinical tests or medical devices and contributing to all aspects of design and delivery of the projects. You will contribute to the development of evaluation methods and respond to challenges around evaluation and test implementation. Within the team you will contribute to continuous improvement and professional development activities.
We will support the development of your professional competencies and research skills, providing mentoring and opportunities for internal and external training.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 2 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work closely with the rest of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Newcastle In-vitro Diagnostic Cooperative (MIC) team, taking the lead on MIC research projects to evaluate clinical tests or medical devices. This will involve contributing to all aspects of the design and delivery of research projects, and ensuring that relevant expertise and resources are brought into the project when these cannot be provided by the MIC.
- This will involve contributing to all aspects of the design and delivery of research projects, and ensuring that relevant expertise and resources are brought into the project when these cannot be provided by the MIC.
- To contribute to the development of evaluation research methods (e.g. carepathway analysis), evaluation challenges (e.g. when the reference standard is imperfect), and test implementation (e.g. clinical decision aids).
- Contribute to the process of continuous development, implementation, and improvement of quality assurance processes for quantitative and qualitative data management and analysis to ensure that research is reproducible and auditable.
- Work collaboratively with all NUTH stakeholders, principally the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle University, other MICs and other NIHR infrastructures.
- To contribute within the MIC team to professional development activities (e.g. internal teaching, seminars, and journal clubs).
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work closely with the rest of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Newcastle In-vitro Diagnostic Cooperative (MIC) team, taking the lead on MIC research projects to evaluate clinical tests or medical devices. This will involve contributing to all aspects of the design and delivery of research projects, and ensuring that relevant expertise and resources are brought into the project when these cannot be provided by the MIC.
- This will involve contributing to all aspects of the design and delivery of research projects, and ensuring that relevant expertise and resources are brought into the project when these cannot be provided by the MIC.
- To contribute to the development of evaluation research methods (e.g. carepathway analysis), evaluation challenges (e.g. when the reference standard is imperfect), and test implementation (e.g. clinical decision aids).
- Contribute to the process of continuous development, implementation, and improvement of quality assurance processes for quantitative and qualitative data management and analysis to ensure that research is reproducible and auditable.
- Work collaboratively with all NUTH stakeholders, principally the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle University, other MICs and other NIHR infrastructures.
- To contribute within the MIC team to professional development activities (e.g. internal teaching, seminars, and journal clubs).
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Relevant postgraduate level qualification to a minimum of masters level with work experience in evaluating medical devices and clinical tests
- Certificate of Good Clinical Practice
- Working towards HCPC Registration
- Specialist knowledge of the qualitative, statistical, or health economics methods used to evaluate medical devices and clinical tests
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in conducting research evaluating medical devices or clinical tests. This should include demonstrable experience in writing research and funding proposals, and/ or completing and administering research ethics applications, and/or data management and analysis, and report writing
Desirable
- Knowledge of human factors research
- Knowledge of the methods of evidence synthesis
- Experience of working in a healthcare research environment
- Experience of working in or with industry
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Good written and oral communication and presentation skills
- Evidence of skills relevant to medical devices or clinical test evaluations. This should include skills such as study design, protocol development, study management, data management, data analysis, reporting and dissemination of results
Desirable
- Skills in systematic reviewing and meta-analysis
- Skills in mapping patient pathways, information flows, and clinical and laboratory workflows
- Skills in health economic evaluations
- Skills in clinical trial coordination
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Relevant postgraduate level qualification to a minimum of masters level with work experience in evaluating medical devices and clinical tests
- Certificate of Good Clinical Practice
- Working towards HCPC Registration
- Specialist knowledge of the qualitative, statistical, or health economics methods used to evaluate medical devices and clinical tests
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in conducting research evaluating medical devices or clinical tests. This should include demonstrable experience in writing research and funding proposals, and/ or completing and administering research ethics applications, and/or data management and analysis, and report writing
Desirable
- Knowledge of human factors research
- Knowledge of the methods of evidence synthesis
- Experience of working in a healthcare research environment
- Experience of working in or with industry
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Good written and oral communication and presentation skills
- Evidence of skills relevant to medical devices or clinical test evaluations. This should include skills such as study design, protocol development, study management, data management, data analysis, reporting and dissemination of results
Desirable
- Skills in systematic reviewing and meta-analysis
- Skills in mapping patient pathways, information flows, and clinical and laboratory workflows
- Skills in health economic evaluations
- Skills in clinical trial coordination
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
