Assistant Professor (Research)

Working at Durham University

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The Role and Department

Applications are invited for this role to work across nationally-leading health and care research programmes funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), as part of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria. The fellows will support the ARC in joining national research networks to deliver impactful research and knowledge mobilisation activities with partners across the health and care system.

The role will be a part of the Department of Sociology , which was established in 1964 initially as a Department of Social Theory and Institutions. The Department delivers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Sociology, Criminology and Social Work and supports the delivery of a faculty research methods programme as part of the collaborative NINEDTP. The Department's research strategy is built around five themes: 1) Communities and Social Justice; 2) Health and Social Theory; 3) Higher Education and Social Inequality; 4) Violence and Abuse; and 5) Criminal Justice, Social Harm and Inequalities. The post holder will also be a key member of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing , a university-wide research institute focused encouraging and supporting high calibre interdisciplinary research to understand and address human health challenges.

The Role

The post holder will affiliate with one of the ARC research themes, establish inclusive communities of practice, and lead programmes of research across the North East and North Cumbria and nationally, in line with the strategic aims of the theme. The five themes across the ARC are:

1. Prevention including multiple long-term conditions.

2. Addressing inequity in health and care systems.

3. Supporting children, women, and family health.

4. Workforce Inclusion and Innovation for Impact.

5. Care Improvement and Safety.

The research opportunity at Durham University is aligned to the theme: Prevention including multiple long-term conditions. Please indicate up to two secondary themes you would like to align your application to. All candidates will be expected to work in partnership across themes. We are also looking for candidates who wish to express an interest in leading research aligned to Research Inclusion.

The successful applicant will be expected tohave existing and well-established networks with a range of health, social care and community-based collaborators, including across other NIHR infrastructures. They will develop their own specialist research leadership while working in a pro-active and collaborative way to deliver work addressing critical national and regional priorities. They will be adaptive and responsive to emerging system needs, benefitting from the outstanding mentoring and supportive environment to secure additional grant funding over the 4-year period of the role. The role holder will be required to spend 50% of their time working responsively with health and social care partners to design and deliver programmes of work.

As part of our commitment to grow our applied research community and promote a supportive research culture, the role holder will be required to spend at least two days per week in person in the university or at relevant ARC events.

Key responsibilities:

• The postholder will lead programmes of research aligned to ARC research themes, in collaboration with senior investigators, theme leads and co-leads.

• Work responsively (50% of the contracted time), with a wide range of health and care partners and public members, to design and deliver impactful research projects.

• Develop the research objectives and proposals for funding and contribute to or lead grant applications in collaboration with others.

• Carry out high quality applied health research within agreed timelines, meeting milestones and to an appropriate standard.

• Contribute to study design and collect, organise and analyse data relating to various projects across the ARC's research themes.

• Contribute to training and capacity building activities across the ARC.

• Work with relevant stakeholders including members of the public to ensure research is relevant to their needs and that public involvement and community engagement is embedded cross the research programmes.

• Identify and undertake a programme of professional development, including further training in research methods and other transferable skills.

• Develop and maintain inclusive regional and national collaborator networks.

• Contribute to research inclusion activities.

• Contribute to knowledge mobilisation activities to ensure research impact, including working with Knowledge Mobilisation team and Fellows.

• Ensure that research activity and any data collection is consistent with current research governance instructions and Data Protection legislation.

• Attend meetings and other events appropriate to the Applied Research Collaboration and its programmes of work.

• Prepare papers for publication in high quality peer reviewed journals, and disseminate findings at conferences and events as required.

• To contribute to wider ARC activities, including with other relevant research infrastructures regionally and nationally.

• Carry out administrative tasks and other duties to support the ARC as required by the theme lead, co-lead or the ARC NENC Directors.

• Contribute to education and training activities related to applied health, public health and social care.

• Contribute to events celebrating public involvement and engagement, and research and practice specifically aimed at tackling social injustices.

• Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1 September 2026. This post is fixed term for a maximum of 4.5 years [March 2031; the duration of the funding period for the Applied Research Collaboration 2.0].

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University.

• You'll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.

• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).

• No matter how you travel to work, we have you ...