Organisation/Company: KINGS COLLEGE LONDON
Research Field: Psychological sciences
Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2), First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country: United Kingdom
Application Deadline: 6 Mar 2025 - 00:00 (UTC)
Type of Contract: Other
Job Status: Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
About us:
The Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre is an interdisciplinary research centre that focuses on how genetics (‘nature’) and the environment (‘nurture’) interact to affect psychiatric disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions, and individual differences across development.
Collaborative interdisciplinary research and training are the hallmarks of the SGDP, with research encompassing behavioural genetics, molecular genetics, experimental psychology and psychiatry, and neuroimaging. Our links with clinicians and clinical medicine enable us to maximise the impact of our research for clinical practice and public health policy.
The Centre’s focus is on common psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions that emerge in childhood and adolescence, such as mood disorders (anxiety and depression), ‘externalising’ disorders (disruptive behaviour including hyperactivity and addictions), and neurocognitive conditions (learning disabilities and the autistic spectrum) as well as psychotic disorders.
The Clinical Academics working in the SGDP have close links with King’s College London with the NHS from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust where they provide clinical care.
About the role:
The CCP- RCT study is a waiting list design randomised control trial set to test the effectiveness of the existing Cannabis Clinic for Psychosis intervention for cannabis use reduction/cessation in patients with psychotic disorder.
Consistent evidence has shown that continuing to use cannabis after the onset of a psychotic disorder results in increased rates of relapses, compulsory hospital admissions and poor functional outcome. The Cannabis Clinic for Psychosis (CCP) is the first, and still the only NHS service offering an intervention to reduce/stop cannabis use to adults suffering from psychotic disorders under the care of the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation Trust (SLaM).
A recent paper reviewing the outcome measures of the first 46 patients who completed the CCP intervention indicated that 73% stop their cannabis use and the remaining 27% reduced their use from daily to once a week. The latter group as well as those who stopped their use experienced a significant improvement in their clinical symptoms and a remarkable improvement in functioning, returning to school or to work.
Nevertheless, to robustly establish the effectiveness and safety of the CCP intervention the Maudsley Charity awarded us funding to complete a waiting list randomised control trial (RCT) of the CCP intervention. The waiting list RCT design allows everyone recruited into the RCT to eventually receive the intervention.
The Research Assistant position will be full time, for 3 years, and based at the SGDP department. The successful candidate's main role will involve:
1. Preparing all the documents necessary for the CCP-RCT Ethics application and follow the process to completion.
2. Leading on the CCP-RCT participants recruitment.
3. Data collection.
These tasks will involve working across KCL and SLaM in close collaboration with the CCP clinical team and with research participants who are suffering from psychosis as well as using cannabis, referred to the CCP.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to attend regular teaching events as well as training courses available at the IoPPN and across KCL to further develop skills and knowledge.
The successful candidate will work closely with Professor Di Forti, the KCL CTU and the CCP clinical team to ensure effective collaboration and coordination of research activities, strong organizational skills, excellent communication abilities, and the capacity to work both independently and as part of a team.
About you:
* Ability to work independently showing initiative and proactive attitude when faced with challenges, demonstrating problem-solving skills.
* Evidence of excellent organizational and time management skills.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and work well within a team.
* Experience in working with people suffering from psychosis.
* Experience with data analyses in SPSS and/or R.
* Previous experience of preparing Ethics application for research project.
* Experience of working in RCT.
* Experience of assessment and recruitment of people suffering from psychosis.
* Experience of data management.
Further information:
We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.
To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.
We are able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.
Please note that this is a full time role and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 3 years.
Grade and Salary: £40,880 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance
Job ID: 108226
Close Date: 06-Mar-2025
Contact Person: Prof Marta Di Forti
Contact Details: Marta.diforti@kcl.ac.uk
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