Research Associate in the Department of Addictions - King's College London

This is one of several researcher posts which will be or are currently being advertised by the Addictions PRU across King's College London, University of Sheffield and University of Glasgow. You should apply to all posts that interest you as we cannot transfer applications between roles. 

We would like to appoint a Post-doctoral Researcher to play a key role within a new Addictions Policy Research Unit (PRU). The Addictions PRU has recently been commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care for England, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and starts in January 2024 for an initial 5-year period.   

The PRU is a collaboration involving 10 UK universities led from the Addictions Department at King’s College London (KCL), the University of Sheffield’s Alcohol Research Group and the University of Glasgow’s Gambling Glasgow Research Centre. Its aim is to inform policymaking relating to alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, other drugs, and gambling. Research conducted within the PRU will draw on a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods, and will incorporate different disciplinary perspectives including public health, epidemiology, psychology, health economics, operational research and psychiatry. The PRU will particularly focus on research that relates to public policy and practice and, especially, research that can play an important role in guiding future policymaking.   

We are looking to appoint a Post-doctoral Researcher focusing on nicotine and tobacco research. You will be based at King’s College London and work closely with Dr Leonie Brose in the Nicotine Research Group to develop and deliver the aspects of the PRU related to nicotine and tobacco policy. The Nicotine Research Group is a friendly and vibrant part of the Addictions Department at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London. The group is led by Professor Ann McNeill (PRU Co-Director) and conducts research with impact on policy and practice.  

You will be part of a team of pre- and post-doctoral researchers working with colleagues at King’s, Sheffield and Glasgow, as well as our wider network of Co-Investigators and Collaborators across other UK universities, on this and potentially other areas of the PRU. You may also collaborate with clinical groups and service providers, commissioners and policymakers across the UK. As a member of the PRU you will also benefit from a dedicated training fund and membership of the Addictions PRU Academy, which will provide training and career development opportunities to early career researchers and other collaborators in the PRU.  

You should have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in a relevant discipline and experience of research related to nicotine or other addictive products (which could be public health-oriented rather than focused on addiction). You should also have a strong grounding in quantitative, qualitative and systematic review methods, although you may specialise in one of these.  You will also have an understanding of how the value of specific research outputs can be assessed and also how they can be valuably influential to the policymaking process. You should be a clear and balanced communicator and committed to the need to bring science to the fore in the considerations which need to be incorporated into key decision-making at the level of local and national policy. The successful appointee will be expected to be reliable and efficient and also to have good inter-personal as well as organisational skills. 

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract for 2 years.