Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
This NIHR funded post is available immediately on a fixed-term basis with funding until 31st March 2026.
We welcome applications from candidates interested in job-sharing arrangements.
The post
We wish to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to participate in an exciting project to conduct a realist synthesis to investigate ways to support men at risk of suicidality in community and primary care settings across the Southwest. This is intended to form the bedrock for informing future transformations and future funding applications. This NIHR funded post is available immediately with funding until 31st March 2026. The successful applicant will work with our multi-disciplinary team that includes Dr Geoff Wong (University of Oxford) and Dr Felicity Thomas (University of Exeter) and various partners from PenARC, suicide prevention initiatives across the southwest, and various men’s mental health charities.
The success candidate will carry out the realist synthesis under the supervision of our team, with a focus on engagement and mixed methods approaches with stakeholders across the public and primary care systems in the region, submit scientific papers, and deliver oral and poster presentations to international audiences, and engage in identifying further funding opportunities.
About you
The successful applicant will demonstrate independence in conducting the proposed realist synthesis under the supervision of the research team. This includes developing the programme theory and context-mechanism-outcome configurations through active engagement with various sectors. Responsibilities will also involve refining and implementing research objectives, identifying potential sources of research funding, contributing to the funding application process, and presenting findings at conferences and other events.
Applicants should hold a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in psychology, health services research, or a related field. They must demonstrate experience or the ability to develop skills in realist research approaches, mixed methods, and health-related services research. The ideal candidate will have a strong ability to collaborate with various stakeholders, supervise others, and take on leadership roles as needed. Proficiency in collaborative working, designing and executing analysis plans using software such as Jamovi, SPSS, and NVivo, and writing scientific papers is also essential.
This post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
What we can offer you
- Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
- Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
- An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
- Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
- A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy
- A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon
The University of Exeter
We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).
We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.
Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.
With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.
We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.
Further information
For further information please contact Dr David Francis Hunt, e-mail d.hunt3@exeter.ac.uk.