Overview
Qualitative Research Associate in the Department of Psychological Medicine – Strand, London, WC2R 2LS
About us
In January 2025, researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at King’s College London in collaboration with Black Thrive Global and two international partners in the United States and Sweden received funding for a new study aiming to advance race equity in health and social care structures.
This bold research programme, titled Collective Action for Race Equity in Health and Social Care (CARE-HSC), aims to address and dismantle structural factors that perpetuate racial discrimination and harassment within care systems.
About the role
We are seeking an enthusiastic Qualitative Research Associate to join CARE-HSC, specifically working on ‘Workstream 1: Formal (Workforce) Carers’ co-led by Professor Stephani Hatch and Dr Rebecca Rhead.
This workstream focusses on a collaboration with NHS peer researchers to uncover mechanisms through which racial inequities persist within care systems, exploring how racism affects care delivery and health and social outcomes, using qualitative and quantitative methods.
The successful candidate will qualitatively explore how sources of racism (i.e., institutional, interpersonal [experiencing, witnessing and anticipating], and internalised) intersect and develop over time for healthcare staff and students. They will explore how these experiences influence education, teamwork, and outcomes, with a focus on discrimination, disciplinary processes, and institutional responses. In addition, the candidate will also conduct a realist review of anti-racism policies across the NHS and higher education.
The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of racism and racialisation on teamwork and care delivery, alongside compliance with and outcomes of the NHS’s Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and other oversight functions across the health and social care system.
The postholder will contribute to data collection, analysis, publications, and dissemination, and support training and supervision within the team. They will work closely with CARE-HSC colleagues and stakeholders to produce meaningful, inclusive research and contribute to the overall coordination of the programme.
This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31st December 2031.
Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.
About you
To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:
Essential criteria
- PhD (awarded or thesis submitted) in a relevant discipline, such as Sociology, Psychology, Health Inequalities, Population Health, Race and Ethnicity Studies, Occupational Health or a related field, with strong qualitative research experience and a strong interest in health and/or social care research.
- Proven track record of disseminating work and a clear interest in racial and ethnic inequalities in discrimination, mental health, occupational health, or health care.
- Advanced knowledge about a range of qualitative research methods, such as participatory approaches, interviews, focus groups, and analytic approaches.
- Demonstrated experience analysing qualitative data and interpreting findings.
- Demonstrable experience in preparing ethical applications, with a strong working knowledge of data confidentiality and security practices.
- Proven ability to manage time effectively and organise workload across competing priorities.
- Strong ability to present complex information clearly to academic, policy, and public audiences, with clear examples from previous roles.
- Demonstrated experience working effectively within interdisciplinary teams and with non-academic partners, such as public funded bodies, people with lived experience and volunteer and community sector organisations.
Desirable criteria
- Experience engaging with wider audiences through accessible and creative outputs (e.g. blogs, community events).
- Experience with co-production or participatory methods in research and engagement.
- Experience supervising researchers or students and delivering seminars or training to diverse audiences.
Downloading a copy of our Job Description
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.
