University of Oxford Research Assistant Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health Research

University of Oxford is recruiting a part-time Research Assistant to join the Department of Social Policy and Intervention. Based in Oxford with hybrid working available, the position will support the Supporting Early Minds Research Network, a national initiative focused on strengthening research capacity in early childhood development and mental health across England.

About the Position

The Research Assistant will contribute to the Mental Health in Development (MHID) programme, part of the Oxford Health NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. The programme aims to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people aged 0–18 by developing research infrastructure, strengthening collaborations and expanding research capacity across institutions and sectors.

The Supporting Early Minds Research Network focuses on children under five years of age and their families by connecting researchers, practitioners and early years settings.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

Develop and maintain the Supporting Early Minds Research Network.
Promote research projects and increase participation through established website systems.
Develop and deliver webinars and podcasts.
Update and manage the project website.
Create case studies highlighting research impact.
Build relationships with researchers and early years practitioners.
Support collaboration between research institutions and local authorities.
Help practitioners become research-ready and engage in new research projects.

Candidate Requirements

Applicants should possess:

A first degree in a relevant discipline.
Active enrolment in a doctoral (PhD) programme.
Experience maintaining and updating websites.
Experience developing and delivering webinars and/or podcasts.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Experience working with researchers and local authorities.
Strong organisational and project management abilities.
The ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Desirable qualifications include previous experience within a research team and contributions to research publications.

Working Arrangements

Location: Oxford, United Kingdom.
Working Pattern: Hybrid working available.
Hours: Part-time.
Contract: Fixed-term.
Flexible working arrangements are available to support caring responsibilities.

Salary

The position offers an annual salary of:

£35,681 to £41,636, depending on qualifications and experience.

Why Join the University of Oxford?

Working within the Department of Social Policy and Intervention provides opportunities to:

Support nationally significant early childhood mental health research.
Collaborate with leading academics and practitioners.
Develop research communication and knowledge-sharing skills.
Contribute to evidence-based policy and practice.
Work within one of the world’s leading research universities.
Benefit from a flexible hybrid working environment.

The department is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and holds a Bronze Athena Swan Award in recognition of its commitment to gender equality in higher education and research.

Application Process

Applicants are required to submit:

A curriculum vitae (CV).
A supporting statement explaining how they meet each essential selection criterion using clear examples.
Contact details for two referees.

Only the requested documents will be considered during the recruitment process.

Application Deadline

Closing Date: 15 June 2026
Application Deadline: 12:00 noon (UK time)

Applications must be submitted online before the deadline.

SEO Keywords

University of Oxford Research Assistant, Oxford research jobs, University of Oxford careers, research assistant jobs UK, hybrid research jobs, early childhood research jobs, mental health research careers, NIHR research jobs, social policy jobs UK, academic research assistant, public health research jobs, university research careers, Oxford hybrid jobs, child development research jobs, higher education jobs UK, research network coordinator, education research jobs, psychology research assistant, healthcare research careers, UK academic jobs.

APPLY NOW