Research Assistant (Workplace Trauma Support)

Job summary
The Workplace Trauma project is an NIHR grant exploring the effect of a workplace trauma support intervention on staff working on acute mental health wards. The post holder will be based within the Research and Innovation Department at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, which hosts a number of large mental health trials and other research studies. The post holder will also have close links with the University of Manchester, School of Health Sciences where the Lead Investigator is based. Both the Trust and the University place a very high value on collaborative working with service users and collaborate with service user groups locally and nationally to support a range of clinical and research initiatives.

We strive to be an inclusive research unit, and we welcome applicants from a diverse range of communities to apply for the post, including people from diverse ethnic communities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and/or who identify as having a disability or as being neurodivergent. We know that experiences of workplace trauma are more common for staff from Black, Asian, and other diverse ethnic communities, and we will be purposively sampling 50% of our participants from a range of minority groups. Experience of recruiting research participants from diverse communities that are often under-represented in research would therefore be beneficial for the role, as would experience of working on acute mental health inpatient wards.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as part of a team to recruit and complete assessments with staff and patients on mental health inpatient wards. The project is a collaboration between Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester. The project's Lead Investigator is Professor Katherine Berry.

The post-holder will receive line management support from the project manager. This includes regular line management supervision, clear objective setting for 3, 6 and 12 months and annual appraisals thereafter (depending on continued funding for the post).

About us
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.

We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.

Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.

Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.

Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Details
Date posted: 26 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 4
Salary: £28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 437-8353851
Closing date: 30 October 2026

Job responsibilities

• Research - Conduct comprehensive literature searches.
• Synthesise previous/current research evidence.
• Governance: To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, steering groups and other forums as appropriate.
• Management: Set up systems to ensure efficient management of own workload, under the guidance of the Project Manager / CI.
• IT responsibilities: Utilise IT to support report writing, data input and analysis.
• General: To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
• Working environment: The Research and Innovation (R&I) Department at the GMMH Trust (Central Park) and inpatient mental health wards at hospital sites across the Trust.

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications

• Essential: Good honours degree in psychology (at least 2:1).
• Desirable: Masters in relevant subject or master's in research (MRes).
• Desirable: Eligibility for membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) or relevant professional body.

Experience

• Essential: Conducting research.
• Desirable: Being a research assistant.
• Desirable: Recruiting research participants from diverse communities that are often under-represented in research.

Knowledge

• Essential: Knowledge of research design.
• Essential: Knowledge of research methods, including recruitment, data collection, data entry and data analysis.
• Desirable: Knowledge regarding psychological approaches to severe mental illnesses.
• Desirable: Knowledge of research ethics and governance procedures.

Skills and Abilities

• Essential: Ability to conduct literature searches.
• Essential: Knowledge of research methods, including recruitment, data collection, data entry and data analysis.
• Desirable: Knowledge of research ethics and governance procedures.
• Desirable: Knowledge regarding psychological approaches to severe mental illnesses.

Other Requirements

• Essential: Ability to demonstrate an interest in and enthusiasm for working with people with severe mental illness.
• Essential: To be able to communicate effectively with staff (i.e. health professionals), service users, relatives, carers, community members and a range of professionals and non-academics (verbally and in writing).
• Desirable: Full UK driving license (subject to Disability Discrimination legislation).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
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.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address: 1st Floor, Central Park Hub, Unit B, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Research Associate, Kim Cartwright, Kim.Cartwright@gmmh.nhs.uk

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice.