Research Associate - Post stroke communication disorders

Job Title

Research Associate – Post stroke communication disorders

• Location:
  
  Sheffield
• School/Department:
  School of Medicine and Population Health
• Work Arrangement:
  Part‑time (21 hours per week)
• Contract Type:
  Fixed‑term (August 2026 – 28 February 2031)
• Salary: £38,784 – £47,389 per annum
• Line Manager: APT Project Chief Investigator
• Direct Reports:
  Implementation work‑package leads

We are seeking to appoint a Research Associate interested in post stroke communication disorders to join the School of Medicine and Population Health to work on a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded programme of work to co‑design and evaluate a new Aphasia Partnership Training intervention. The intervention aims to help people with the communication disorder “aphasia” and their family members communicate better together.

The post holder will be responsible for delivering work that aims to understand the context of implementing the new intervention. This will include conducting a national survey of current family communication partner training provision and exploring feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, adaptation and implementation of the new intervention alongside successive phases of evaluation/trial. The mixed methods process evaluation will include qualitative interviews, focus groups, self‑report measures and video observations.

It is essential that the post holder has some experience of qualitative and/or mixed methods research, and experience communicating with people with communication disorders. This role offers excellent professional development opportunities alongside an experienced research fellow, and benefit ting from tailored training provided by the NIHR and the University of Sheffield, as well as project‑specific opportunities. Excellent communication skills are essential alongside a proven ability to work well in an interdisciplinary team.

The role will contribute to the Faculty and University focus on applied research that has a positive impact on the delivery of health services to patients and staff.

• Work independently and with the implementation work package leads to initiate and undertake a range of research activities.
• Use accessible communication strategies in interactions with patients.
• Contribute to ethics applications for work packages to which the implementation work contributes.
• Lead on organising, recruiting to and conducting qualitative research interviews with patients who have aphasia (communication disorder) after a stroke, their family members and speech and language therapists. This may require some travel for participants who cannot participate online.
• Watch videos of intervention sessions and rate fidelity using a checklist.
• Collect and analyse self‑report measures.
• Coordinate research activity and liaise with members of the research team within the University of Sheffield and partner organisations to ensure delivery of research to study deadlines.
• Analyse qualitative data, supported by senior researchers in the team.
• Contribute summary fidelity and implementation findings in a timely manner to support stop/go decisions for trialling the intervention and any required improvements to the intervention or its training.
• Ensure that all research is conducted in accordance with relevant legislation and within the requirements of research ethics and governance, including recruitment of participants and obtaining informed consent.
• Contribute to writing study reports, conference abstracts and other dissemination materials.
• Liaise with the Patient and Public Involvement group and clinical reference group to ensure materials used are accessible, emerging findings are discussed and dissemination activities are inclusive.
• Attend team, research group and other section or School meetings as required.
• Make a full and active contribution to the principles of the “Sheffield Academic”, including ethical decisions and the One University strategy where possible.
• Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds and beliefs of all. We…