Research Assistant (Fixed Term)
The Digital Mental Health Group at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit is an innovative and collaborative research group studying the intersection between adolescent mental health, cognitive neuroscience, and digital technologies with the aim of improving mental health outcomes in both non-clinical and clinical populations. We are based at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, a world-leading research centre well-known for its close-knit community, collaborative atmosphere, and outstanding research support. Our members advise national and international governments as the UK's largest university team studying social media's impact on adolescent mental health.
Our group currently includes our PI, Dr Amy Orben, two Senior Research Associates, one Research Associate, five PhD students, three Research Assistants, as well as research visitors and interns. We value our team's complementary skills (e.g., differing backgrounds, research approaches, and areas of expertise), and collaborate with other research groups around the world.
Overview: We are seeking a Research Assistant to join our team full-time for 1 year in the first instance.
In this job, you will have three principal responsibilities. First, you will be a generalist researcher gaining experience in a range of skills and approaches. Second, you will contribute to various research and policy projects. This will include the - to be launched - Smart Data Research UK Social Media Data Access taskforce, a collaboration between Cambridge, Sheffield and York Universities to improve access to social media data for research. Third, the role will require you to take some responsibility for group administrative tasks such as planning group meetings or away days, delivering outreach to schools or other stakeholders, or recruiting for and maintaining our team's youth or parental advisory boards.
You will be supported in complementing these core activities in ways that interest you and benefit the group, as well as the wider academic community.
Further details can be found in the below linked further particulars alongside the person specification, with the complete essential and desirable criteria.
The post holder should be available to start in September or October 2025 for a duration of twelve months. You can apply if you can only start the post later, but this will decrease the length of your contract and will be considered in recruitment.
We will interview for the role on the 4th of August 2025.
We encourage applicants from backgrounds traditionally marginalised and/or under-represented in the field. Further, please do not be discouraged from applying if your current CV is not a 'perfect fit'. This job could suit someone from a range of different backgrounds, and there is great scope for the right applicant to develop the role and make it their own. If you think that this might be the role for you, please write and tell us why.
If you have any informal enquiries, please feel free to contact Dr Amy Orben: amy.orben@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.
Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.
Please quote reference SU46327 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.