Research Assistant (Researcher 1B)

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This is a full time/fixed term contract for 2 years

Glasgow Caledonian – the largest and leading modern university in Scotland - is a vibrant, values-led university with campuses in the heart of Glasgow and London. With a strong commitment to high quality education and research which supports the communities we serve, we have strong partnerships with employers to ensure our students get the careers they dream of and deserve.

Named UK Modern University of the Year for Graduate Jobs in the latest Daily Mail University Guide, and the top-ranked UK modern university in the Times and Sunday Times Guide 2026, we are a UK top 40 university according to these highly regarded guides. We are the only Scottish university with EcoCampus Platinum accreditation and were ranked first in Scotland for sustainability in the most recent People and Planet league table (2024).

With a wide range of professionally accredited courses and links with over 300 industry partners, we are the top university in Scotland for students in employment and/or further study within 15 months of graduating at 92% - with 78% of graduates in highly skilled occupations (HESA 2025). We are Scotland’s leading provider of Graduate Apprenticeships. We are committed to widening participation, helping more people from diverse backgrounds into university. Our modern campuses support nearly 23,000 students from 119 countries.

Our research is addressing many of today’s biggest global challenges. We are unsurpassed by any other Scottish modern university for the level of research (72%) considered to be world leading or internationally excellent, and our health research is surpassed only by King’s College London for outstanding impact (REF2021).

Guided by our values – integrity, responsibility, creativity and confidence - we transform the lives of the people and communities we serve.

The Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), in the School of Health and Life Sciences, was launched in February 2021 and provides a hub for research excellence at Glasgow Caledonian University. Our goal is to translate evidence-based applied health research into meaningful action, improving health and wellbeing for all. The centre is home to a range of research groups focused on enhancing the lives of people with long-term health conditions and improving public health.

In this role, you would be responsible for the day-to-day running of the ‘Evidence for Living Well with a Spinal Cord Injury in the Community’ (ELSCI) project.

 

This is a Programme Development Grant, externally funded by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Charitable Trust. The project involves five work packages: (1) Scoping usual care after discharge across the UK; (2) Exploring the trajectory of physical function in the first year after discharge; (3) Exploring the unmet healthcare and rehabilitation needs; (4) Exploring the contextual and mechanistic factors that influence function, activity and participation; and (5) Co-developing a future intervention for investigation in a future programme grant. You would work closely with the project co-investigators and Spinal Cord Injury Centres throughout the UK, and Project Advisory Group.

We are looking for individuals who have a degree in a relevant subject area (eg. Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy) with evidence of relevant postgraduate qualifications or study; with experience in research report writing, knowledge and understanding of different research methodologies in health research and strong communication skills. Experience in clinical research or audit within a relevant setting, and understanding of spinal cord injury rehabilitation is desirable.

If you wish to know more about this opportunity, or for an informal discussion, please feel free to contact Dr Elaine Coulter, ELSCI Principal Investigator, (Elaine.Coulter@gcu.ac.uk) (+44 (0)141 331 8179).

As the University for the Common Good, we are committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as our values in everything that we do. As such, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who demonstrate the GCU Values.

Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to a fair and transparent recruitment process that is free from bias so that we can attract and retain a high performing workforce which makes a critical contribution to our success​.

The University holds the prestigious Athena Swan Silver institution award, which recognises our significant record of activity and achievement in promoting gender equality across different disciplines.

The University holds the Race Equality Charter Bronze award, in recognition of our work to combat racism and support race equality.

As a Disability Confident 'Committed' employer, we are striving to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to disabled people. Although the Disability Confident 'Committed' level does not guarantee an interview for disabled applicants, we will make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants during the recruitment process.

The University also holds the ‘Carer Positive Established’ employer award, which recognises our commitment to supporting staff with caring responsibilities.

Glasgow Caledonian University are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant. 

The University offers a range of benefits including opportunities for professional development, family friendly policies, cycle to work scheme and onsite childcare facilities.

Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception).