university research assistant jobs

Fixed term until 31 March 2027

Part Time – 14.8 hours per week

£28,592 to £31,861 per annum (pro rata), depending on experience

The role

This post provides an exciting opportunity to join a multi-disciplinary research team on an NIHR-funded project, the iKids study which is exploring the impact of interactive electronic devices (i.e., mobile phones and tablets) on emerging abilities (i.e. self-regulation, social development, executive function, language and numeracy) and health (e.g. movement behaviour, BMI, motor skills) in young children.

Working alongside Research Fellows and the wider team, you will play a key role in coordinating recruitment and fieldwork. Your responsibilities will include participant booking, data entry, and processing. You will have the opportunity to engage with early years settings and stakeholders from the public health and educational sectors.

Knowledge of early years development, physical activity, and motor skills measurements would be advantageous, as would experience of working with parents, nurseries, or early years sector organisations.

The successful candidate must be available to travel independently within West and South Yorkshire multiple days per week for data gathering purposes.

As this job involves working or having regular contact with children, if you are successful, you will be asked to apply for an Enhanced check with children’s barred lists through the Disclosure and Barring Service. A criminal record will not necessarily prevent you from taking up the post, but its relevance to the duties of the role will need to be assessed before the appointment is confirmed.

We offer a diverse range of benefits and opportunities to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career in a supportive environment.

You will be contractually enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) – one of the largest and most generous defined benefit pension schemes in the country. Each year you will earn a secure pension benefit of 1/49th of your salary and the University will pay pension contributions towards the cost of this pension (currently worth about 16% of your salary). For a starting salary of £29,000, for example, the University would pay just over £4,500 in the first year of your employment and you would earn a pension of £592 p.a. for that year (payable from your State Pension Age).

Find out more about the LGPS.

If you are, or have been, a recent member of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) directly prior to joining us, you can choose to opt out of the LGPS and remain in the USS. Please contact the Pensions team to discuss the options available.

For this job, we particularly welcome applications from minority ethnic applicants who are underrepresented in this area/ this type of job at Sheffield Hallam.

The role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route so if you are an international applicant, you will need to ensure you have an appropriate visa to evidence the necessary right to work in the UK.

To find out more, take a look at our guide to applying.

We recommend you download the job description and person specification when you apply, as this will not be available once the job has closed.

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