Research Fellow A on the Nurse Suicide Study

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The role

We are looking for a motivated and collaborative researcher to join the Wellcome-funded Nurse Suicide Project. The risk of suicide in women nurses is 23% higher than women in other occupations but current research exploring suicidality in women nurses is limited. This ground-breaking and transformative project seeks to revision the ways in which nurse distress and suicidality are articulated and understood.

The project encompasses five individual studies looking at different elements of this topic. For more information about this project and team, visit our website

You’ll be working on study 5, which aims to understand how the experience of a workplace complaint or investigation impacts on the distress and suicidality of women registered nurses. The study will use a mixed methods approach including an on-line survey and narrative interviews. Ethical approval for the study is in place.

This is a full-time fixed-term post for 24 months, although we would consider part-time (0.8FTE) for the right candidate if preferred.

You’ll play a central role in delivery of the study, contributing across all stages of the research, including:

Survey and interviews

• Coordinating survey distribution with nursing organisations across the UK
• Supporting recruitment of nurses for in-depth interviews
• Conducting interviews
• Undertaking thematic analysis
• Supporting statistical analysis of survey data

PPIE, dissemination, and team working

• Liaising with the study nurse advisory group
• Contributing to funder reports, academic papers, conferences, and accessible summaries

About you

We’re looking for someone who is thoughtful, curious, and committed to high-quality research that makes a difference to people’s lives. We value diverse backgrounds and career paths, and we particularly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented in health and social care research.

Essential experience and skills:

• A postgraduate research degree (or equivalent experience) in a relevant discipline. We are happy to consider candidates who have submitted a doctoral thesis and are awaiting viva or outcome
• Experience of qualitative research in health or social care settings
• Familiarity with qualitative analysis software
• Quantitative literacy, including managing survey data and conducting basic descriptive analyses
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Awareness of research ethics and safeguarding when working with potentially distressed participants
• Excellent organisational skills
• A collaborative, reflective approach to teamwork

Further information

To apply, please submit the following:

• A CV outlining your academic and relevant professional experience
• A supporting statement explaining how you meet the essential criteria (see job profile below)

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Anna van der Gaag (a.vandergaag@surrey.ac.uk).

Online interviews will be held on 14th July.

Studies have shown that women and people from global majority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single criteria. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your experience does not align with what is stated, we encourage you to apply or contact us to discuss.