Research Assistant

Job Title: Research Assistant - Lung Cancer Screening (0.7 FTE), Evidence Based Unscheduled Care Reform (0.3 FTE) Department: General Practice, RCSI Reporting to: Professor Patrick Redmond, Professor Tomas Barry Location: RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin Contract/Duration: 12 months Remuneration: €33,291 per annum Closing Date:14th August 2025 RCSI is a community of academic, research, clinical and professional staff working collaboratively to lead the world to better health.
Here, you will thrive in an innovative and inclusive atmosphere and your personal development and wellbeing will be supported.
We invite you to join us to help deliver on our exciting mission "To educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health".
We seek candidates whose experience to date has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to the "Race Equality Action Plan 2025-2029" at RCSI.
Our students come from all walks of life and so do we.
We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
This makes our university stronger and ensures we hire the best talent.
Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 is RCSI's new five-year strategic plan.
Through it, RCSI will enhance human health by meeting the health workforce needs of society, creating the insights and inventions that drive health improvements, and working in partnership with patients and the public in support of better health and well-being for all.
The strategy unites the RCSI community in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals - with a particular focus on Goal 3, which targets good health and well-being.
For each of the last six years, RCSI has been positioned in the Top 300 of universities worldwide in the Times Higher World University Rankings.
We are proud that RCSI ranks fifth in the world for "Good Health and Well-being" in the Times Higher Education #SDG #SDG Impact Rankings 2024.
This reflects our commitment to supporting people of all ages to live healthy lives and our work to promote the concepts of well-being and positive health.
In 2024, RCSI was delighted to be named one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work in Ireland.
At RCSI, our core values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship, and Innovation are at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where every colleague is valued and empowered to thrive.
Our dedication to these values ensures that we foster a culture of mutual respect, open collaboration, continuous learning, and innovative thinking.
Join us at RCSI, where your contributions will be recognised, and you will be part of a dynamic team making a real impact on global health.
About Our Research RCSI recognises that excellence in research is critical to the quality of its educational activities, its credibility, and, overall, to its mission to enhance human health.
RCSI's research strategy aims to build upon its strength in translational biomedical and clinical research to deliver transformational, high impact changes in health care.
Targeting both Irish national and EU funding, along with increased collaboration with industry, is a major part of the RCSI research strategy.
Forging increased collaboration between RCSI PIs and industry is of critical importance to achieving success in this area.
RCSI is also committed to provide its researchers with the supports and developmental opportunities to enable them to continuously grow and support their overall career development.
About the Project(s) This position is funded by grants for two projects; "Tailoring Lung Cancer Screening for Ireland: Using Existing Datasets to Generate Evidence-Based Recommendations for Health Policy" & 'Intelligent and innovative planning for community based unscheduled care'.
The first project is led by Professor Patrick Redmond, and it aims to develop an effective and efficient lung cancer screening strategy tailored to the Irish population.
The latter is led by Professor Tomas Barry and aims to develop a blueprint for the future of community based unscheduled care in Ireland.
The successful candidate will work closely with both project teams, including collaborators from various institutions and disciplines, to achieve the project's objectives over the next 17 months.
About PRi CAN PRi CAN (Primary Care Research into Cancer) is a multidisciplinary research team aimed at enhancing early cancer detection, diagnosis, and outcomes in primary care settings.
Beyond the immediate project, you will be part of a broader program of research in primary care and cancer, with opportunities to contribute to trials, observational studies, and multidisciplinary initiatives.
PRi CAN integrates a wide array of research activities, including: Developing and testing digital health interventions to improve patient engagement and access to care.
Exploring the integration of non-invasive biomarkers with the aim of conducting clinical trials to evaluate innovative screening strategies.
Leveraging data science to assess the utility of general practice data for research and clinical care.
Engaging with our public and patient involvement (PPI) group to ensure research is grounded in patient needs and experiences.
Opportunities for Career Development We are committed to supporting the long-term career progression of our team.
Candidates will be encouraged and guided to apply for fellowships or other funding opportunities to extend their research, with the potential to secure up to four additional years of funding.
This role offers a unique opportunity to: Build your academic publication record through collaborative research targeting high-impact journals.
Present findings at international conferences, gaining visibility and recognition in the field.
Contribute to our diverse research portfolio while developing skills in stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and health policy translation.
Summary of Post The post-holder will contribute to the development of evidence-based recommendations for both lung cancer screening & unscheduled care reform in Ireland through the application of mixed methods research.
This role involves integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyse existing datasets, conduct primary research and engage with stakeholders to ensure research findings are applicable and impactful for Irish health policy.
Specifically, the duties of the post are: Research: Conduct high-quality, impactful research aligned with the projects objectives, employing a mixed methods approach to integrate quantitative and qualitative data.
Data Analysis: Conduct qualitative research (e.g., interviews, focus groups, thematic analysis) complemented by advanced statistical techniques to generate comprehensive insights for tailoring lung cancer screening strategies.
Collaboration: Work closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, including experts in public health and health policy, to design, implement, and analyse mixed methods research.
Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders-including policymakers, clinicians, and public and patient involvement (PPI) contributors to ensure research findings are translated into practice.
Dissemination: Prepare progress reports, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, and present findings at conferences, highlighting the integration of mixed methods insights into policy recommendations.
Qualifications - (Essential): A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Economics).
Experience in conducting and publishing research in a related area.
Strong analytical skills and proficiency in data analysis tools.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Qualifications - (Desirable): Experience in cancer research, particularly lung cancer.
Some knowledge of the Irish healthcare system is an advantage Experience in working with large datasets and health data management.
We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application - we'd love to hear from you.
Application Process Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal on the closing date with your CV and cover letter.
Informal Enquiries can be directed to.
Please note we do not accept CVs directly.
Click here to read our Recruitment and Selection Policy for Researcher.
Employee benefits At RCSI, we help care for our people so they can focus on our mission to educate, nurture, and discover for the benefit of human health.
RCSI make sure you have the resources you need to thrive.
We offer a wide range of benefits in areas including time away, finance, community, health, and well-being and insuring your financial future.
In addition to our city centre campus and world-class facilities, there are a wide range of excellent benefits available to our employees, including: Onsite gym €10 per month Flexible working arrangements Automatic enrolment to a pension scheme for all employees (Willis Towers Watson, pension documents outlined below) RCSI Investment Guide Pension Scheme Guide Benefits Schedule Life assurance/death in service Long term illness/disability income replacement Free advice on health/motor and home insurance Discounted services, including GP Support for parents and carers Taxsaver commuter tickets Biketo Work Free eye test at the National Optometry centre €12/day for parking for all RSCI staff in the St.
Stephens green/RCSI car park RCSI's Learning and Development team facilitate and provide training opportunities for all staff Sports and social club Opportunities to volunteer in the community 26.5 days leave - 20 days annual leave plus 6.5 days Privilege days - In addition to your annual leave entitlements and public holidays, RCSI also grants privilege days to our employees (paid time off during Easter and Christmas periods).
We also offer a number of leave options to support the working lives of our employees.
Paid maternity leave Paid Paternity leave Parental leave Note: This job description may be subject to change to reflect the evolving requirements of the Department and RCSI.
Similar vacancies that arise in the next 6 months may be filled from the pool of applicants that apply for this position.
RCSI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or race.
RCSI is committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across everything we do.
This ensures we can all work and learn in an environment defined by dignity and respect.
Eligibility to work in Ireland is a requirement of this role, Proof of eligibility documentation will be required at a later date.
Under limited and specific circumstances (research/ specialist roles) RCSI may be in a position to seek a hosting agreement and/or work permits.
Employees are required to undertake 6 months service in their current role before applying for other internal opportunities, unless agreed in advance by the SMT representative

---