Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Research Team at Cambridgeshire Community Service (CCS) NHS Trust . We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Research Facilitator, to support research activity and culture. The post is funded by the Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN EoE).
The post is fixed term until 31st March 2026.
'If we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 1st May 2025'
Main duties of the job
This fixed term post is to support the Trust Research Team in the facilitation of the adoption of research studies which are currently on the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) portfolio into clinical areas throughout the Trust and in the promotion of other research opportunities.
The aim of the role is primarily to support our clinical services to participate in all relevant NIHR Portfolio Studies, including commercial research, to develop the research culture and the readiness of services to deliver Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPS). The post holder is also likely to collaborate with other academic institutions and research networks such as the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) East of England (EoE).
The candidate can have a clinical or non-clinical background to apply for this role. If the candidate holds a clinical qualification, registration with an appropriate body is required. If no registration is held, the candidate needs to have current healthcare knowledge, good understanding of the NHS and experience of research facilitation or managing research and/or health care projects.
About us
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You should ideally have experience of clinical research, including commercial research, or be able to transfer your previously gained relevant clinical skills and knowledge to the role. However, whilst this is preferred, full induction, training and mentoring will be provided.
You will work with CCS research team to support ongoing development of the research culture across the service. This may include supporting our clinical teams in identifying and recruiting patients, seeing the patient through the trial, performing study assessments, and ensuring data is reported accurately and on time.
You will work closely with a variety of healthcare professionals across the service so excellent communication skills are essential, as is attention to detail. It is essential that you can work autonomously and manage your own workload but also to work as part of a team.
The post holder may be asked to contribute to other Trust-wide projects or research work streams running.
The team works across a variety of clinical specialties within the Trust so you must be willing to be mobile and flexible in your working practices. The role will cover the whole of the Trusts geography, the base is to be confirmed, our headquarters is in St Ives and travel will be required.
For informal discussion or virtual face-to-face meetings (via Microsoft Teams) about the team and the post are available as required. For further details please contact either;
Rachel Martell PhD, Portfolio Research Manager:
rachel.martell1@nhs.net
or;
Paula Waddingham PhD, Research Manager:
paula.waddingham@nhs.net
Job description
Job responsibilities
You should ideally have experience of clinical research, including commercial research, or be able to transfer your previously gained relevant clinical skills and knowledge to the role. However, whilst this is preferred, full induction, training and mentoring will be provided.
You will work with CCS research team to support ongoing development of the research culture across the service. This may include supporting our clinical teams in identifying and recruiting patients, seeing the patient through the trial, performing study assessments, and ensuring data is reported accurately and on time.
You will work closely with a variety of healthcare professionals across the service so excellent communication skills are essential, as is attention to detail. It is essential that you can work autonomously and manage your own workload but also to work as part of a team.
The post holder may be asked to contribute to other Trust-wide projects or research work streams running.
The team works across a variety of clinical specialties within the Trust so you must be willing to be mobile and flexible in your working practices. The role will cover the whole of the Trusts geography, the base is to be confirmed, our headquarters is in St Ives and travel will be required.
For informal discussion or virtual face-to-face meetings (via Microsoft Teams) about the team and the post are available as required. For further details please contact either;
Rachel Martell PhD, Portfolio Research Manager:
rachel.martell1@nhs.net
or;
Paula Waddingham PhD, Research Manager:
paula.waddingham@nhs.net
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to degree standard or have relevant and recent research knowledge and experience to equivalent of degree level.
- Evidence of continuous personal, professional development.
Desirable
- Post-graduate qualification e.g. MSc.
- Relevant and recent specialist healthcare knowledge.
- If clinical, current clinical professional qualification and registered with a relevant regulatory body e.g. NMC or HCPC.
Experience
Essential
- Good Knowledge of clinical research infrastructure in the UK.
- Understanding of the requirements of ICH Good Clinical Practice
- Good Knowledge of the role of the clinical research facilitator; understanding the issues/process of gaining informed consent
- Experience of project management and delivery of projects in a timely manner
- An understanding of the complexity of service delivery within a community setting
- Experience of working with patients/service users/public
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define the responsibilities of others
- Recognises the limits of own authority within the role
Desirable
- Experience of working in an NHS environment
- Experience and understanding of working with the NIHR and RDN
- Experience working in a Community Care setting
- Experience of clinical trial (CTIMP)/Commercial research
- Experience submitting commercial EOIs
- Experience of research governance
- Experience of report writing
Skills
Essential
- Effective listening and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work autonomously using own initiative, and as a member of a small team, as well as part of the wider multidisciplinary team
- Ability to work across boundaries, integrating with multidisciplinary staff in relation to achieve the objectives of the project
- In highly stressful situations keeps own feelings in check, takes constructive action and calms others down
- Shows a realistic appreciation of the challenges of working with children and young people/vulnerable adults
- Aware of the range of emotions in self and in others
Desirable
- Ability to maintain records consistent with policies, procedures and regulations to be used for reporting and governance purposes.
- Teaching skills
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to degree standard or have relevant and recent research knowledge and experience to equivalent of degree level.
- Evidence of continuous personal, professional development.
Desirable
- Post-graduate qualification e.g. MSc.
- Relevant and recent specialist healthcare knowledge.
- If clinical, current clinical professional qualification and registered with a relevant regulatory body e.g. NMC or HCPC.
Experience
Essential
- Good Knowledge of clinical research infrastructure in the UK.
- Understanding of the requirements of ICH Good Clinical Practice
- Good Knowledge of the role of the clinical research facilitator; understanding the issues/process of gaining informed consent
- Experience of project management and delivery of projects in a timely manner
- An understanding of the complexity of service delivery within a community setting
- Experience of working with patients/service users/public
- Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define the responsibilities of others
- Recognises the limits of own authority within the role
Desirable
- Experience of working in an NHS environment
- Experience and understanding of working with the NIHR and RDN
- Experience working in a Community Care setting
- Experience of clinical trial (CTIMP)/Commercial research
- Experience submitting commercial EOIs
- Experience of research governance
- Experience of report writing
Skills
Essential
- Effective listening and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work autonomously using own initiative, and as a member of a small team, as well as part of the wider multidisciplinary team
- Ability to work across boundaries, integrating with multidisciplinary staff in relation to achieve the objectives of the project
- In highly stressful situations keeps own feelings in check, takes constructive action and calms others down
- Shows a realistic appreciation of the challenges of working with children and young people/vulnerable adults
- Aware of the range of emotions in self and in others
Desirable
- Ability to maintain records consistent with policies, procedures and regulations to be used for reporting and governance purposes.
- Teaching skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
