Colive-Mh CAMHRA Postdoctoral Researcher

Job Title

COLIVE‑MH CAMHRA Postdoctoral Researcher

School of Anthropology, Gender and Media Studies

Fixed term to 30th November 2027

G7

£43,297.57 – £50,562.57 per annum inclusive of London Allowance

35 hours per week

Bloomsbury, London

SOAS University of London is the leading Higher Education institution in Europe specializing in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. SOAS is positioned to play a leading role in reimagining higher education globally, with a new strategic plan in place for the renewal and revitalisation of the School which commits SOAS to both student responsiveness and research intensity.

SOAS is moving toward a new model of international partnerships that is responsive to the transnational character of our global challenges.

The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) is a globally oriented and locally connected Centre of excellence for cutting‑edge anthropological research, education and public engagement in the field of mental health. It works to promote research on critical issues of inequality in access, experience and outcomes of mental health care with benefits for marginalised groups in the London area and cascading effects at national and global levels, with special emphasis on mental health lived‑experience and clinical practice‑based research and co‑produced research outputs.

CAMHRA seeks to recruit a Postdoctoral Researcher with a background in anthropology to contribute to the lived experience and ethnographic work streams of COLIVE‑MH.

COLIVE‑MH (Collaborative Living Evidence Platform for Common Metrics in Mental Health) is a two‑year international initiative funded by the Wellcome Trust, designed to establish an up‑to‑date, open access evidence synthesis platform on the psychometric properties of four widely used mental health measures:

• PHQ‑9 – Patient Health Questionnaire (adult depression)
• GAD‑7 – Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (adult anxiety)
• WHODAS‑12 – World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (adult functioning/disability)
• RCADS – Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (child and youth anxiety and depression)

The platform is designed to support the global harmonization of mental health measurement tools, with a strong emphasis on transparency, co‑production and equity.

The COLIVE‑MH project includes:

• Co‑production with people with lived experience and international partners to ensure relevance, inclusion and global usability.
• Conduct of three parallel systematic reviews focused on the PHQ‑9, GAD‑7 and WHODAS within the METHODS team (a fourth review focused on the RCADS will be conducted externally by project partners).
• Display of the results on a website interface.

• Develop an equity, diversity and inclusion policy for the inclusion of lived experience voices in the COLIVE‑MH project.
• Develop a typology of the impact of psychiatric measures.
• Project‑manage the ethnographic sub‑team.
• Co‑achieve and mentor lived experienced fellows.
• Provide regular reporting to the Principal Investigators.
• Ensure service delivery to agreed deadlines.

We would strongly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of mental health service use, and those from under‑represented groups.

Ideal candidates will have existing anthropological training at doctoral and/or postdoctoral level and possess the ability to contribute to systematic reviews and qualitative research.

As part of the CAMHRA post‑doctoral mentoring programme, the successful candidate will be supported by CAMHRA leadership to develop and be part of future funded research opportunities within the Centre.

Academic – Please complete the online application form and upload your CV, publications and a supporting statement.

Closing date: 31st January 2026

Interviews to be held:
February 2026

If you have any questions or require assistance with regard to the application process, please contact us via HR Contact Form | SOAS.

Successful candidates will need to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK, or have limited leave to remain in the UK and an associated right to work for the duration of their employment with SOAS.

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We are able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.

We would particularly welcome applications from candidates from working class, first‑generation higher education, Black, Asian, other minority ethnic and under‑represented groups from within the UK and beyond. All appointment decisions will be made on merit, following a fair and impartial process.