Research Assistant

The Department of Psychology is looking to appoint a Research Assistant. This vacancy is 0.4FTE on a fixed term basis until December 2025.

Researchers in the Centre for Psychological Research, within the Department of Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton are carrying out a study, funded by GambleAware, into online peer support for people who experience gambling harms. Many people who experience gambling-related harms do not seek face-to-face professional support, but engage instead with online support forums, where they benefit from the support of people with shared lived experience. There is relatively little research empirically evaluating the use of such support networks, so we will be aiming to learn more about the benefits and limitations of online peer support. We will do this through mixed methods, including interviews with service providers, forum moderators, and people with lived experience of gambling harms, and online survey(s).

If appointed as the Research Assistant, you will work closely with the research team at the University of Wolverhampton, and with collaborators at Liverpool John Moores University, and Magenta Research. You will contribute to a literature review and two pieces of empirical work in this area. The first study will require qualitative research expertise, as it involves conducting and analysing qualitative interviews (with people who experience gambling harms, and people working in support provider roles), and assisting with analysis of secondary qualitative data. The second study will require skills in quantitative research methods, as you will be assisting in the design and analysis of a large-scale survey. Stakeholder workshops will be convened regularly throughout the project to involve relevant individuals from outside academia in the design and dissemination of the findings, and assisting with the design, running, and incorporation of findings from these workshops into the project, will also be a key duty.

You will be expected to work independently at times and to take on responsibility in liaising with a variety of external stakeholders. You will also be expected to assist with the writing of reports and academic articles. While most interviews will be carried out online, occasional travel may be required to carry out interviews if participants request a face-to-face interview (this can be via public transport or own vehicle, and travel expenses are available). Occasional evening or weekend working may be required in order to complete interviews during times that suit participants.

You will hold a good first degree or equivalent in psychology or a closely related discipline, with a strong emphasis on qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. You must, therefore, have demonstrable experience in both the qualitative and quantitative research methods required to undertake this post. A postgraduate qualification within psychology or closely related area is desirable, but exceptional candidates without this will also be considered. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of gambling harms (either direct or as an ‘affected other’). All applicants must be fluent in spoken and written English.

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Joanne Lloyd (joanne.lloyd@wlv.ac.uk)

The University of Wolverhampton values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.