King's College London

About us

King's College London offers an intellectually stimulating environment in which to work, where staff are dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning, in the service of society. We are a multi-faculty institution, providing high-quality teaching, research and innovation across the sciences, humanities, medicine, law, dentistry, and social sciences. As a member of the Russell Group, an association of leading UK research-intensive universities, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards in research and education.  

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​The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) has been fundamentally changing and shaping how we understand, prevent and treat mental illness and other conditions that affect the brain.  The legacy, ethos and drive of the IoPPN has ensured its position at the forefront of mental health care, redefining mental illness, its treatment and its place in society.  

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​The IoPPN is divided into 14 academic departments across three major academic Schools: Academic Psychiatry, Mental Health & Psychological Sciences, and Neuroscience.  

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​The Department of Psychological Medicine, part of the School of Academic Psychiatry, focuses on the interface between psychiatry and medicine, psychiatry and occupation, psychiatry and the military, and psychiatry in different settings.   

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​Within the Department of Psychological Medicine, the Centre for Affective Disorders (CfAD) is a vibrant centre of expertise dedicated to research into affective disorders, primarily depression and bipolar illnesses. CfAD is a centre of excellence for both understanding the science related to these illnesses, and application of this knowledge to help develop new treatments of all types including psychological and pharmacological.  We are based in Denmark Hill, South London.

About the role

We are seeking 2 x enthusiastic Research Assistants to support an NIHR-funded clinical trial investigating home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for depression in the NHS. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of home-based tDCS for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).

As a Research Assistant, you will be responsible for participant recruitment, data collection, and study administration. You will have a key role in the day-to-day running of the study. You will be interviewing participants, seeing participants in follow up, coordinating their tDCS sessions, and maintaining accurate research records. This post will provide hands-on experience in clinical trials, brain stimulation technologies, and mental health treatments.

The ideal candidate will have experience in participant-facing research, strong organizational skills, and a keen interest in mental health and novel treatment approaches. They will work closely with the wider research team, including clinicians, trial coordinators, and patient and public involvement (PPI) representatives. This is an opportunity to contribute to this cutting-edge clinical trial that will inform future clinical practice and to work alongside a team dedicated to advancing treatment for depression.

This is a full-time post, 35 hours per week and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 24 months with the possibility of extension.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for a candidate to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. BSc degree (2:1 or higher) in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, or closely related discipline.
2. Interest in working with people with mental health disorders.
3. Experience in participant-facing clinical research, including recruitment, interviewing individuals with mental health disorders, and informed consent procedures.
4. Excellent organizational and multitasking skills to manage study visits, equipment logistics, and videoconferencing platforms.
5. Excellent communication, relationship and team working skills, being able to  work independently as well as collaboratively within a research team.
6.  Able to work flexible hours and to travel locally and within UK if necessary.
7. Commitment to and understanding of equality and diversity issues within a diverse and multicultural environment.

Desirable criteria

1. Experience in working in clinical trials or large-scale mental health research studies with an understanding of trial protocols and regulatory requirements.
2. Experience maintaining and organizing research documentation, both electronic and paper-based.

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 next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community. We are committed to working with our staff and unions, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

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 this is dependent on the salary offered which is based on your experience and will be discussed at the offer stage.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health Clearances.