King's College London

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

About us

King’s College London is an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research. We are dedicated to driving positive and sustainable change in society and realising our vision of making the world a better place.

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

Our School of Academic Psychiatry comprises of five clinical departments of psychiatry: Addictions, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Psychological Medicine and Psychosis Studies.

These include more than 100 Principal Investigators, with research grants of £30-40 million. We have programmes covering the whole spectrum of psychiatry from public policy to molecular genetics, from peri-natal to old age and from psychological treatments to brain imaging. Our work covers the entire life span, healthy adults and children as well as of course people with physical and mental health conditions.

75 per cent of mental health disorders start in childhood and the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is world-renowned for its basic and translational research in this field, in disorders such as autism, ADHD, antisocial behaviour, intellectual disability, trauma, mood and eating disorders.

About the role

This post offers an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant with a background in Psychology or a related discipline to contribute to a collaborative international programme focused on strengthening specialised mental health services for children and adolescents in Ukraine. The successful candidate will join the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the Pears Maudsley Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, under the supervision of Professor Andrea Danese, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

The post holder will work closely with a multidisciplinary team at KCL and collaborate with partners from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, and leading European experts in child and adolescent mental health.

The Research Assistant will support a range of activities contributing to the design, coordination, and evaluation of initiatives to enhance specialist training and service delivery in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Key responsibilities will include conducting desk-based research and consultations on service delivery models and specialist training curricula, undertaking literature searches, data extraction, and synthesis of findings. The post holder will assist in organising and coordinating multilateral meetings with senior clinicians, international agencies, policymakers, and academic partners, ensuring effective communication, documentation, and follow-up.

The successful candidate will contribute to the preparation and delivery of specialist training workshops, including the development of educational materials, participant engagement, and logistical coordination. They will also assist in preparing high-quality reports, policy briefs, and presentations for clinical, academic, and policy audiences. In addition, the Research Assistant will provide administrative and research support across the programme, maintaining accurate records and databases, collating stakeholder feedback, and contributing to monitoring and evaluation activities.

The role also involves supporting periodic progress reporting and assisting with new grant applications and fundraising efforts by preparing background information and supporting materials. The position requires strong organisational and communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively with international partners. The post holder will be expected to demonstrate initiative, professionalism, and flexibility, contributing to a collaborative effort to strengthen mental health services for children and adolescents in Ukraine.

This is a full-time role (35 hours per week) offered for 18 months.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

About you

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

Essential criteria

1. Bachelor's degree (minimum 2:1 or equivalent) in Psychology, Public Health, Social Sciences, or a related discipline relevant to child and adolescent mental health.
2.  Demonstrated ability to conduct literature reviews, synthesise complex information from multiple sources, and contribute to evidence-based reports and presentations.
3.  Excellent written English with the proven ability to prepare clear, professional documents for diverse audiences, including clinical, academic, and policy stakeholders.
4. Strong organisational and time-management abilities with the capacity to coordinate multiple tasks, manage deadlines, and contribute to the planning of workshops and meetings.
5. Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including academics, clinicians, international agencies, and government representatives.
6. Competent use of office software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Zoom, Canva, ChatGPT) and ability to create professional presentations and materials.
7. Adaptable approach to work with willingness to undertake varied tasks within the scope of the role and respond to changing project needs.
8. Genuine interest in child and adolescent mental health and international mental health service development.

Desirable criteria

1. Master's degree (or working towards) in a relevant discipline such as Psychology, Public Health, Global Mental Health, or Child Development.
2. Understanding of child and adolescent mental health services and psychiatric training.
3. Experience of working in international or cross-cultural contexts, particularly in humanitarian, development, or public health settings.
4. Knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian language or demonstrated experience working with translation services and multilingual materials. Alternatively, experience working effectively through interpreters and multilingual materials.
5. Previous experience in organising workshops, training events, conferences, or multi-stakeholder meetings.

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 page. 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 on these and other issues, 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 person specification section of the job description. 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.

  This post is subject to an Occupational Health clearance.