Research Associate, Research Scientist

Salary:
Research Associate £36,636 to £46,049 per annum

Closing Date: 31 July 2026

Benefits:
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package, plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes, and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

This Bradlaw Fellowship is a highly prestigious postdoctoral opportunity focused on delivering ENHANCE D+, a major follow on programme building directly on the NIHR-funded ENHANCE D trial, one of the largest and potentially most influential trials ever undertaken in UK primary dental care.

The fellow will address key post‑trial research priorities through four linked work packages: an updated systematic review incorporating ENHANCE D data; secondary analyses examining socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in cessation outcomes; focused laboratory studies using validated in vitro gingival and epithelial models to investigate inflammatory and cytotoxic responses relevant to trial findings; and the development and evaluation of an evidence‑based training resource for the dental team.

The laboratory component draws on unique infrastructure and established modelling approaches to generate mechanistic insight that cannot be obtained from clinical trial data alone. The programme is explicitly translational, with laboratory findings, quantitative analyses and educational outputs integrated to inform interpretation of the trial, future funding applications, and wider implementation across dental practice.

• Experience of key laboratory techniques for investigating cellular immune responses to stimuli
• Experience of conducting systematic reviews
• Experience of epidemiological research
• Experience of working on interdisciplinary projects
• Experience of cell/tissue culture
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write‑up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems
• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem‑solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi‑skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

• PhD in a relevant research area

Newcastle University is a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity and celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, believing that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

We hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. Newcastle University is a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.