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Psychology Assistant
Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
Cardiff University School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

A position is available for a Psychology Assistant to work in the prestigious Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at Cardiff University. Based at the University’s flagship Hadyn Ellis Building in Cathays, you will be part of a team of researchers at Cardiff University and University College London working on a groundbreaking and innovative MRC-funded programme grant entitled ‘IMAGINE-2: Stratifying Genomic Causes of Intellectual Disability by Mental Health Outcomes in Childhood and Adolescence.’

You will be part of a vibrant team of researchers at different stages of their careers both at Cardiff University as well as University College London and have the opportunity to liaise with patient support charities. Your primary remit will be to recruit and assess children/ adolescents with an intellectual disability caused by a genetic deletion or duplication. You will conduct psychiatric interviews, assess neurocognitive function and obtain blood and saliva samples from participants. You will be required to travel UK-wide (expenses will be provided) to assess patients in their own homes which will require overnight stays and work outside of normal office hours.

You should have a degree in Psychology or a related subject - minimum 2.1 (or equivalent). Experience of working with children/ adolescents who have a history of mental illness and/ or neurodevelopmental disorders is highly desirable. An understanding of the principles of conducting, interpreting and scoring psychiatric interviews would be highly desirable, as would experience of conducting neurocognitive assessments.

For informal discussion, please contact Prof. Marianne van den Bree - Email: vandenbreemb@cardiff.ac.uk

This post is full time (35 hours per week), available immediately and is fixed term until 30th September 2024.

Salary: £23,715 - £27,929 per annum (Grade 4)
Appointments to roles at Cardiff university are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Date advert posted: Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Closing date: Wednesday, 29 March 2023

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 32 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments up the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Purpose

To provide comprehensive field team and research support to the MRC funded project: IMAGINE-2: Stratifying Genomic Causes of Intellectual Disability by Mental Health Outcomes in Childhood and Adolescence.

Duties and Responsibilities

• To recruit individuals with intellectual disability or other neurodevelopmental conditions caused by a genetic deletion or duplication and to maintain involvement of the participants.
• To complete a standardized research assessment procedure, including psychiatric interview, neurocognitive assessment and obtaining blood and/or saliva samples from participants.
• To liaise with healthcare professionals and teams at other universities to facilitate patient recruitment and assessment for the study.
• To travel UK-wide to assess patients in their own homes. This can require long distance travel/driving, consecutive overnight stays away from home and some assessments will take place outside of normal working hours.
• To ensure that participant recruitment targets are met, confidentiality and professional standards maintained and that you work as an effective member of the overall team effort.
• To participate in the regular team meetings by presenting progress updates and contributing ideas to the recruitment strategy either in person or via Zoom.
• To attend national conferences with other members of the research group, to publicise the research by manning a stand and answering queries from potential participants and healthcare professionals.
• To generate research output and contribute to the development of independent and original ideas as appropriate.
• To undertake preliminary data analysis using standard research techniques.
• To help prepare publications and research presentations with guidance and advice.
• To understand and convey project information, which may need careful explanation or interpretation.
• To attend and present at research groups, meetings and conferences as appropriate.
• To contribute to the submission of study proposals to ethics committees.
• To plan own day-to-day research activity within the framework of the agreed programme.
• To assist in the supervision of undergraduate students.
• To carry out administrative tasks accurately and efficiently which will include activities such as data collection and recording/maintaining records/data, ensuring data quality and integrity.
• To support and train others in the project team as required in the project procedures.
• To work flexibly as part of a team to achieve the study objectives, adapting to new procedures, taking on new tasks consistent with the role, and facilitating the development of the study.
• To ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• To abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• To perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

1. A degree (2.1 or above) in Psychology or equivalent qualification and/or experience.

2. Proficiency in IT, including experience of using Email, Internet, Microsoft Office, SPSS (data entry and analysis).

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

3. Understanding of:

• a. Genetic syndromes and major psychiatric disorders.
• b. A good understanding of data storage and protection.

4. Demonstrable experience in:

• a. Conducting and organising research projects.
• b. Working with people with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental issues or mental health problems.
• c. Working with children.

5. Experience of supervising the work of others to focus team efforts and motivate individuals.

6. Proven ability to train technical staff in psychological testing procedures and in the use of equipment and instruments.

Communication and Team Working

7. Excellent communication skills, proven ability to convey specialist and complex information which may require careful explanation or interpretation in a clear, accurate and sensitive manner, supported by proven interpersonal skills which allow effective engagement with patients and their families.

Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving

8. Proven ability to work on own initiative and to strict deadlines, planning, organising and setting priorities for own work appropriately and planning and managing small projects, demonstrating accuracy and attention to detail at all times

9. Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose practical solutions and to resolve problems where there are a range of potential options available.

Other

10. A willingness to travel across the UK and to be flexible regarding working hours to meet the needs of participants.

Desirable Criteria

11. Possession of a full diving licence.

12. Good understanding of the principles of conducting, interpreting and scoring psychiatric interviews both children as well as adults.

13. Expertise in conducting neuro-cognitive testing in children and understanding of issues in mental capacity and informed consent for people with learning disabilities.

14. Understanding of the ethics application process and awareness of regulations regarding Material Transfer and agreements for DNA samples.

15. Experience taking biological samples from participants (blood/saliva).

16. Knowledge of and experience of using the REDCap Database.

17. Experience of recruiting patients to research studies.

18. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria

It is School of Medicine's policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.

Please ensure when submitting this document / attaching it to your application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number, in this instance for this post, 16137BR

If candidates do not provide written evidence of meeting all of the essential criteria then their application will not be progressed. The School of Medicine welcome the submission of CVs to accompany evidence of the job-based criteria.

23,715

27,929

Health, Medical & Dental, Technical

Grade 4