Job summary
- Main area
- Research and Development
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- 7 months (Fixed Term Post Cover to March 2026)
- Hours
- Full time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 448-SUPPS-7268745
- Employer
- Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, The Meadows, St Ives (TBC, base to be discussed at interview)
- Town
- St Ives, Cambridgeshire
- Salary
- £29,970 - £36,483 per annum, pro-rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/06/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 09/07/2025
Employer heading
Research Assistant (Clinical/Non-Clinical)
Band 5
Driven by our Trust values: Honesty, Empathy, Ambition, Respect; the Trust's vision is to provide high quality care to the diverse communities we serve to make their lives better.
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Our cultural diversity, long term conditions and disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ staff networks are a key part of this commitment, creating positive change and helping build an inclusive culture across the Trust.
Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed - our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.
Options for flexible working are considered for all roles within CCS, including job share opportunities, compressed hours, annualised hours, tailored working patterns and more. If you are interested in flexible working, please talk to the recruiting manager for this vacancy.
Please note, the selection processes at Cambridgeshire Community Services are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills. Please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored, we remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Research Team at Cambridgeshire Community Service (CCS) NHS Trust. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Research Assistant, to support research activity and culture.
The post is fixed term until 31st March 2026
(Full time,/Job share/Flexible Working/Hybrid Working)
If we receive a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 19th June.
Main duties of the job
This fixed term post is to support the Trust Research Team in contributing to the facilitation of the adoption of research studies which are currently on the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) portfolio into clinical areas throughout the Trust and in the support and promotion of other research opportunities including helping with the continuation of developing the research culture.
The aim of the role is primarily to support the research team to help clinical services to participate in all relevant NIHR Portfolio Studies, to support the development of the research culture and assist with the readiness of services to deliver Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPS). The post holder is also likely to collaborate with other academic institutions and research networks such as the Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN EoE).
The applicant may be a newly qualified nurse or AHP or already working within a clinical area and wish to have more dedicated time to increasing and supporting the adoption of research within their specialism but must be able to also be part of the research team to help contribute to research activities outside of their clinical role.
Working for our organisation
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You should ideally have experience of supporting clinical research delivery and undertaking research administration tasks, or be able to transfer your previously gained relevant skills and knowledge to the role. However, whilst this is preferred, full induction, training and mentoring will be provided.
You will work with CCS research team to support ongoing development of the research culture across the Trust. This may include supporting our clinical teams in identifying and recruiting patients, seeing the patient through the trial, performing study assessments, and ensuring data is reported accurately and on time.
You will work closely with a variety of healthcare professionals across the Trust so excellent communication skills are essential, as is attention to detail. It is essential that you can work autonomously and manage your own workload but also to work as part of a team.
The post holder may be asked to contribute to other Trust-wide projects or research work streams running.
The team works across a variety of clinical specialties within the Trust so you must be willing to be mobile and flexible in your working practices. The role will cover the whole of the Trusts geography, the base is to be confirmed, our headquarters is in St Ives and travel will be required.
For informal discussion or virtual face-to-face meetings (via Microsoft Teams) about the team and the post are available as required.
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- A degree level education with a substantial research element or have relevant and recent specialist healthcare knowledge and experience to equivalent of degree level.
- Evidence of Continual Professional Development
Desirable criteria
- Training in Research skills (literature searching, methodology, dissertation/report writing).
- If clinical, current clinical professional qualification and registered with a relevant regulatory body e.g. NMC or HCPC.
- Experience of working in Research within a healthcare service.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of undertaking/supporting clinical research.
- Experience of working in a patient/participant facing role with clinical duties
- Experience of working on interventional studies or complex/large scale observational studies
- Evidence of a high standard of ability in written work, dealing with complex and sensitive subjects and report writing.
- Experience of planning and managing a range of complex activities.
- Experience of clinical research, including ethical processes and health and safety
- Evidence of research dissemination
- An understanding of the needs of service users who may wish to be involved in research.
Desirable criteria
- Project management experience.
- Experience of working within the principles of ICH Certificate in Good Clinical Practice.
- Experience with electronic case report forms (CRF) and computer packages
- Knowledge of NHS clinical research.
- Knowledge of Clinical Trial delivery (non-CTIMP & CTIMP).
- Knowledge of submitting commercial EOIs
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent organisational skills for self and others – Ability to coordinate clinics and participant visits in conjunction with MDT
- Analysing and presenting complex data to a high standard in the form of written reports
- Ability to understand and comply with research protocols and departmental procedures, report difficulties and exceptions to senior staff
- Awareness of clinical governance processes
- To process and store biological samples to the requirements of the research protocol, ensuring that safe handling and quality is assured.
- Participate in continuous improvement and learning from experience to provide best practice.
Desirable criteria
- Use of database systems e.g EDGE for registering/recruitment of patients onto research studies
- ODP
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates good understanding of safeguarding issues.
- Can demonstrate an ability to contribute towards a safe environment.
Working within Professional Boundaries
Essential criteria
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define the responsibilities of others.
- Recognises the limits of own authority within the role.
- Seeks and uses professional support appropriately.
Emotional Awareness
Essential criteria
- Has an awareness of the range of emotions in self and others.
- Demonstrates empathy for the concerns of others.
- Has a range of mechanisms for dealing with stress, can recognise when to use them and does so.
Self-awareness
Essential criteria
- Has a balanced understanding of self and others.
- Has a realistic knowledge of personal strengths and areas for development.
- Can demonstrate flexibility of approach.
Other
Essential criteria
- Be assertive and professional.
- Have the ability to work independently with their own initiative and with minimal supervision.
- Has the ability to work under tight timescale targets.
- Be a team player with a flexible approach.
- Remains positive under pressure.
- Willingness and ability to travel across the Trust localities to participate in research studies, study set up, attend meetings, training events, etc.
- To work at all times according to Good Clinical Practice, Research Governance and Trust guidelines.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Samantha Nunn
- Job title
- MRes, Research Facilitator
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
or; Paula Waddingham PhD, Research Manager:
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