UCL RESEARCH Department of Epidemiology AND public Health
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (Ref 402)
Applications are sought for a health psychology postdoctoral scientist to work on a research programme on psychological aspects of coronary heart disease funded by the British Heart Foundation in the Psychobiology Group (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychobiology/). Applicants should have a PhD in quantitative health psychology and appropriate research experience. The core attributes will be research ability and an interest in cardiovascular health psychology. Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills, experience of writing reports and publications, project management, quantitative research and statistical skills in SPSS are all essential qualities required. The post is initially funded until 31st December 2010, so provides an excellent opportunity for a health psychologist to develop a sustained research career within a multidisciplinary group in a strongly research-orientated academic department. Starting salary (UCL Grade 7): up to
£32,485 per annum (inclusive of £2,781 per annum London Allowance). The minimum starting salary is £31,620 per annum (inclusive of £2,781 per annum London Allowance).
Application forms at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs or from f.bortolotti@ucl.ac.uk, 020 7679 1681. Full details below. Applications to Ms Bortolotti, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT. Closing date: Midday, Friday 13th March 2009.
Taking Action for Equality
UCL RESEARCH Department of Epidemiology AND public Health
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (Ref 402)
Applications are sought for a health psychology postdoctoral scientist to work on a research programme on psychological aspects of coronary heart disease, funded by the British Heart Foundation and based in the Psychobiology Group (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychobiology/). Applicants should have a PhD in quantitative health psychology and appropriate research experience. The core attributes will be research ability and an interest in cardiovascular health psychology. The post is initially funded until 31st December 2010, but will be continued for a further 5 years subject to grant renewal. It therefore provides an excellent opportunity for a health psychologist to develop a sustained research career within a multidisciplinary group in a strongly research-orientated academic department.
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.1 PSYCHOBIOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
This full-time post is based within the Psychobiology Group in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. The Psychobiology Group is a multidisciplinary research team directed by Professor Andrew Steptoe, British Heart Foundation Professor of Psychology. It is funded primarily by the British Heart Foundation, with additional grant funding from the MRC, ESRC, the US National Institute on Aging and NPRI. The group (typically around 15 people) is multidisciplinary, and members have backgrounds in clinical medicine, health psychology, dietetics, psychophysiology, cell biology and nursing. The group carries out clinical, experimental and survey studies of psychosocial factors and health, with a particular focus on the biological processes through which social and emotional factors influence disease risk. Since 2000, the Psychobiology Group has published more than 230 papers.
1.2 THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The Department of Epidemiology and Public Health is chaired by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and houses roughly 180 staff divided into thirteen research groups: namely; the International Centre for Lifecourse Studies; Whitehall II Study; the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing (incorporating the National Survey of Health and Development); the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre; the Leonard Cheshire Disability and Inclusive Development Centre; Dental Public Health, Psychobiology, Central and Eastern Europe, Health and Social Surveys, Genetic Epidemiology, Clinical Epidemiology, Health Care Evaluation, Global Health Equity Groups. There is also a cross-cutting medical and social statistics network and a great deal of collaborative research is conducted through the International Institute for Society and Health, housed within the Department.
For an outline of current research projects in the Department please visit our website at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology/. The Department contributes to undergraduate and graduate teaching, and runs several seminar series, which all members of staff are encouraged to attend. For an institutional profile see Annexe A below.
1.3 DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
The Division of Population Health at UCL (the Division) is part of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences (FBS). It aims to enhance the health of patients and populations by promoting public health and improving clinical care. Members of the Division are the Research Departments of Epidemiology & Public Health (EPH); Infection and Population Health (IPH); Mental Health Sciences (MHS); Primary Care & Population Health (PCPH), the Centre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional Education (CHIME); and the associated MRC Clinical Trials Unit (MRCCTU). Its skills mix of epidemiological, clinical, statistical and behavioural science provides the scientific basis to underpin an internationally competitive research programme. The current Divisional Director is Professor Anne Johnson. Full details of the individual Research Departments and associated Unit can be found at:
CHIME http://www.chime.ucl.ac.uk
Epidemiology & Public Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology/
Infection & Population Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/iph/
Mental Health Sciences http://www.ucl.ac.uk/mental-health-sciences/
MRC Clinical Trials Unit http://www.ctu.mrc.ac.uk/
Primary Care & Population Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pcph/index.htm
2 DETAILS OF THE POST
Accountable to: Professor Andrew Steptoe
Based at: Torrington Place, London WC1
Principal Objectives, Duties and Responsibilities
The post-holder will work on the British Heart Foundation 5 year programme grant held by Professor Steptoe, which commenced in January 2006. This currently runs until December 2010 but is likely to be renewed for a further 5 year period. He or she will be replacing Dr Gerry Molloy, who has worked in the group since 2006 and has now been appointed to a lectureship at the University of Stirling. Three major studies have been carried out in this programme so far: a laboratory investigation of psychobiological processes linking low socioeconomic status with cardiovascular disease risk (the Heart Scan study); a clinical study of emotion, neuroendocrine function and cardiac ischaemia in patients with coronary artery disease (SIS study); and a clinical study of the emotional and biological responses of patients admitted to coronary care with acute coronary syndromes, and their relationship with later adaptation (Trace study). This work is being conducted in
collaboration with experts from allied disciplines, including Professor Sir Michael Marmot (epidemiology), Professor Jorge Erusalimsky (vascular biology), Professor Brian Henderson (cell biology), Professor Juan-Carlos Kaski and Dr Jean McEwan (clinical cardiology), and Professor Avijit Lahiri (nuclear medicine).
The research associate will contribute to the follow-up of the Trace study, but will be particularly involved in a new study of emotional responses and adaptation following coronary artery bypass surgery. This is being carried out in collaboration with Professor Marjan Jahangiri of St. George’s Hospital, University of London. This will involve clinical interviews, questionnaire administration, and measurements of heart rate variability and saliva in patients before and after major cardiac surgery.
The research associate will be involved in all aspects of this research programme. Duties will include:
· Assisting in the detailed development of research protocols, including the preparation of questionnaire and interview materials;
· Liaising effectively with clinical collaborators at UCL, St. George’s Hospital and elsewhere;
· Carrying out interviews with cardiac patients;
· Processing and analysing physiological data such as heart rate variability and accelerometer measurements;
· Carrying out statistical analyses, including analysis of variance, regression analysis and multi-level modelling, using SPSS, STATA and MLwiN;
· Preparing drafts of papers for publication, and presenting data at national and international conferences;
· Contributing to grant writing and grant applications;
· Assisting in the supervision of PhD and MSc students;
· Maintaining own continuing professional development;
· Following and promoting UCL policies, including Equal Opportunities;
· Maintaining an awareness and observation of fire and health and safety regulations;
· Participating in departmental and faculty seminars aimed at sharing research outcomes and building interdisciplinary collaboration within and outside the department;
· Carrying out any other duties commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post.
Subject to the regulations of the funding bodies appropriately qualified members of research staff will be expected to contribute to teaching and/or other departmental activities. At the present time this is estimated to amount to an absolute maximum of thirty contact teaching hours per annum.
This job description reflects the present requirements of the post and, as duties and responsibilities change/develop, the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the postholder.
3. PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate enthusiasm, attention to detail, diligence and commitment. They must have the ability to work well within a team as well as on their own.
Qualifications
E = essential
D = desirable
Assessed by:
A= application
I = interview
R= references
BSc psychology, physiology or other relevant discipline (2.1 or 1st)
E
A
PhD in health psychology or relevant discipline
E
A
Skills/Abilities
Project management skills
E
A / I / R
Quantitative research skills
E
A / I / R
Ability to carry out statistical analyses using SPSS and other packages
E
A / I / R
Good interpersonal skills
E
I / R
Excellent oral and written communication skills
E
I / R
Knowledge of appropriate statistical methods
E
I / R
Ability to work in multi-professional team
E
A / I / R
Ability to manage time, prioritise workload and work to strict deadlines
E
A / I / R
Organisational skills: attention to detail and good record keeping
E
A / I / R
Self-motivation, the ability to work on own initiative and in a team
E
A / I / R
Experience
Experience of interviewing patients and clients
E
A / I / R
Carrying out quantitative research
E
A / I / R
Data analysis
E
A / I / R
Writing up research for publication
E
A / I / R
Collection of physiological data
D
A / I
Questionnaire design
D
A / I
Knowledge and Aptitude
Social, political and public health agenda
E
A / I
Psychological aspects of cardiovascular disease
D
A / I
Information and information technology
E
A / I
Commitment to continuous professional development.
E
A / I
Commitment to UCL’s policy of equal opportunity and the ability to work harmoniously with colleagues and students of all cultures & backgrounds
E
A / I
4. TERMS & CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
Salary
The salary for this post is Grade 7, in the range £28,839 - £29,704 plus £2,781 London Allowance per annum. Progression through the salary scale is incremental following satisfactory completion of probationary period. Cost of living pay awards are negotiated nationally and are normally effective from 1st August each year.
Tenure
Funding is currently available until 31st December 2010 for this full-time post funded by the British Heart Foundation.
Probation
All research staff will be subject to a nine month probationary period with reviews at three and eight months. Probation is a period of initial professional development during which the College provides training and guidance to help new staff become fully effective members of their department.
Hours of Work
The working week for a full time member of staff averages 36.5 hours excluding lunch hours (pro-rata for part time staff). Times of work are determined by the Research Department Head (or any person so delegated, e.g. grant holder or line manager).
Annual Leave
The leave year runs from 1st October to 30th September. Full time staff are entitled to 27 days annual leave per year (pro rata for part time staff). In addition, staff are entitled to 8 days public and statutory holiday’s and 6 UCL closure days per year. Part time staff will be entitled to the pro-rata equivalent of these days.
Appraisal, Review & Development
All staff who have satisfactorily completed their probationary period will have regular appraisals with their line manager. UCL's commitment to regular appraisal is founded on the belief that all members of staff have a right to a clear understanding of their department's expectations of them, an opportunity for detailed discussion of their contribution to the achievement of departmental and institutional goals and to feel valued. Appraisal is designed to facilitate effective two-way communication and is a key mechanism for identifying training and development needs and ensuring that they are met.
Superannuation
All Research Staff on Grade 7-10 are eligible to join the Universities Superannuation Scheme (subject to the Scheme’s rules and regulations), which is a final salary scheme with a current employee contribution rate of 6.35% and a current employer contribution rate of 14% of salary.
Pre-employment Health Screening
Where appropriate to the work being performed, confirmation of appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment health screening and appropriate immunisation against infectious diseases.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality at all times.
Criminal Records Check
Where appropriate for the work being performed, any offer of employment will be subject to a
satisfactory Criminal Records Check.
Health & Safety
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and Fire Regulations to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees and visitors. UCL operates a No Smoking Policy which does not allow smoking on any of its premises.
Data Protection
In accordance with the Data Protection Act (1984) employees must obtain, process and/or use information held on computer or word processor in a fair and lawful way, hold data only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way. Employees should disclose data only to authorised organisations as instructed.
Research Governance
Where appropriate to the work being performed, the post holder will be expected to be familiar with the requirements of the UCL research governance framework and to comply with all relevant Trust’s policies pertaining to research governance. This will include ensuring that all clinical research activities of the post holder are approved by the Trust and an appropriate ethics committee before commencement. This will also include meeting all the Trust research audit, monitoring and training requirements.
The UCL research governance framework can be found on the UCL website at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/research/gov/intro.htm)
Recruitment and Selection
All employees who are responsible for recruiting new staff are required to attend an in-house recruitment and selection training course before they can be involved in the recruitment process.
General
The postholder will actively follow UCL policies including:
· Equal Opportunities Policy
· Policy and Guidelines for Conflicts of Interest
· A Policy for Investigating and Resolving Allegations of Financial Irregularity
· Personal Relationships at Work: Code of Conduct
· Public Interest Disclosure
· Policy on the Investigation of Research Misconduct
· UCL’s Financial Regulations
· UCL’s Policy on Data Protection
· Code of Conduct for Undertaking Business on Behalf of UCL
Please see the Human Resources website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/ for information on employment policies.
The Code of Conduct for Undertaking Business on Behalf of UCL can be found at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/fin_docs/code_of_conduct.htm
Benefits
Joining UCL as a staff member are many and include:
· Season ticket loans available to staff who have successfully completed their probationary period with the facility to repay through a monthly deduction from salary.
· Access to an extensive range of in-house staff development opportunities. Staff have full use of the UCL libraries and UCL operates a Study Assistance Scheme for those undertaking part-time work-related study.
· All UCL campuses are served by excellent transport links making it easy to travel between sites.
· The main campus lies in Bloomsbury, just north of Oxford Street, Covent Garden and the heart of the West End with access to shops, theatres, cinemas, bars and restaurants. UCL also has its own 550 seat West End arts venue (Bloomsbury Theatre) which hosts drama, dance, music, debates and lectures during the year.
· All campuses have subsidised cafeterias/bars.
· UCL staff can also benefit from corporate membership at a Tottenham Court Road gym (and one at the Royal Free Campus).
Campus Locations
For further information on how to find us (including travel information) please see: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/population-health/findus/index.htm
As duties and responsibilities change, this job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder.
5. HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates are invited to contact Professor Andrew Steptoe for informal discussion about this post: email: a.steptoe@ucl.ac.uk telephone: 020 7679 5628.
Applications will be accepted in the form of a UCL application form downloadable from here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/download_forms/job_app.doc or from Floriana Bortolotti (020 7679 1681 or via f.bortolotti@ucl.ac.uk).
The form can be used in conjunction with a CV but all questions must be answered, the application form signed and the equal opportunities monitoring form completed. Please note that only complete and full applications can be included in the short-listing process.
Complete applications with a covering letter should be returned to Ms Floriana Bortolotti, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT.
Those selected for interview will be contacted either by email or telephone so please ensure your contact details are correct. All interviews will be held on 17th March 2009.
CLOSING DATE for this post is Friday 13th March 2009
PLEASE NOTE
· We regret that because of administration costs we are only able to respond to applicants whom we wish to interview. If you have not heard from us within one month of the application deadline please assume you have been unsuccessful for this post.
· References will be taken up for all short-listed candidates. If you prefer that we did not contact your employer at the initial stage of interviews please state this clearly in your application.
· Travel costs will be reimbursed for all interviewees, up to the equivalent of the most economical train/air fare available from the point of entry to the UK.
· All candidates invited to interview will be expected to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK at the time of interview. Evidence may be presented in the form of a British Passport or a Passport or National Identity Card from an EEA country or Switzerland; a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder can stay indefinitely in the UK or that they can stay in the UK and are allowed to undertake the type of work being offered (for further advice please contact Human Resources); or an Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office stating that the holder is permitted to take employment.
· Where candidates require a work permit, final appointment will be subject to receipt of that permit, which can take up to three months from point of application.
· Should you wish to receive this job description in an alternative format please let us know.
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES
university college london http://www.ucl.ac.uk
Introduction
UCL is one of the UK’s premier universities and is ranked in the world’s top 10. It is a world-class research and teaching institution based in London whose staff and former students have included 20 Nobel Prize winners. Founded in 1826, it was the only university in England at that time which admitted students regardless of race or religion. UCL was also the first to admit women on equal terms with men. Today, UCL is an inspiring university in which to work and study and it continues to thrive on the diversity and creativity of its community.
UCL is a university in its own right, although constitutionally also a college within the federal University of London. With an annual turnover exceeding £600 million, it is financially and managerially independent of the University of London.
The UCL Community
UCL currently employs approximately 8,000 staff and includes academic units as diverse as the Slade School of Fine Art, the Mullard Space Science Laboratory and the Institute of Child Health, which is associated with Great Ormond Street Hospital. In total, there are 54 Academic Departments and Institutes whose activities span the following: arts and humanities, social and historical sciences, law, architecture and the built environment, engineering sciences, mathematical and physical sciences, life and clinical sciences, and medicine. UCL’s academic and research staff are a truly international community with more than a quarter coming from 84 countries outside the UK.
12,000 undergraduates and 7,500 graduate students study at UCL, of whom over 25% come from 140 countries outside the UK. UCL offers 275 undergraduate programmes and more than 220 taught postgraduate programmes as well as the opportunity to carry out postgraduate research in all of its subjects. More than a third of the student community is engaged in graduate studies, with about 40% of these graduate students pursuing research degrees.
Quality of UCL’s Teaching and Research
Two measures of the current quality of UCL’s teaching and research are the results of the external teaching quality assessment reviews and the periodic Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
During the teaching quality reviews conducted in the period 1993-2001, 75% of all reviews of UCL departments resulted in ratings of ‘excellent’ (22+ points out of 24). Of these, four Departments received the maximum 24 points.
In the 2001 RAE, 60 UCL Departments achieved top ratings of 5* and 5: of these, 15 departments have since been classified by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as 'best 5*' for HEFCE research funding purposes - that is, departments which either received the 5* rating both in 2001 and in the previous RAE in 1996 or which improved their 1996 rating to 5* in 2001 while maintaining or increasing numbers of research active staff. These 'best 5*' departments span the full range of UCL’s disciplines.
Another measure of UCL’s research excellence has been its success in bidding for external competitive funds from the Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) and the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF). With the addition of required matching funds, JIF and SRIF are allowing UCL to invest more than £350 million into state-of-the-art infrastructure for cutting-edge research and teaching programmes.
Location and Working Environment
Based in Bloomsbury, UCL is a welcoming, inclusive university situated at the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities.
UCL’s central campus is within easy reach of Euston, Kings Cross and Marylebone mainline stations, the new Eurostar terminal at St.Pancras and the following Underground stations – Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street and Russell Square. Road connections to the M1 and M40 motorways give easy access to the north and west road networks. There are also good public transport links to Heathrow airport.
school of life and medical sciences
In 2007 the School of Life and Medical Sciences was established to co-ordinate the work of the Faculties of Life and Biomedical Sciences. These structural changes have further enhanced the exceptionally strong base of research and teaching in Biomedicine at UCL.
ucl faculty of biomedical sciences
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/biomedical-sciences/
Biomedical Sciences at University College London represents one of the largest and most prestigious aggregations of academics in biomedicine in Europe today. Active groups are working in almost all of the major themes of medical science ranging from basic research to the clinic. Biomedicine at UCL has a richness of depth and breadth which is equalled by few universities throughout the world. Great achievements have been made in UCL biomedicine going back many decades as evidenced by the number of Nobel Prizes won in the institution. UCL’s status in research and teaching continues to be demonstrated by the production of more high-impact biomedical papers in the United Kingdom than any other university and by the large number of Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society, as well as Presidents and Senior Officers of the Medical royal Colleges, to be found among UCL biomedical academics.
The academic activity of FBS is delivered by 14 Divisions and Institutes: Cancer Institute, Institute of Child Health, Ear Institute, Eastman Dental Institute, Division of Infection and Immunity, Division of Medical Education, Division of Medicine, Institute of Neurology, Institute of Ophthalmology, Division of Population Health, Division of Research Strategy, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Institute for Women’s Health. The Divisions/Institutes are situated on three main sites - the Bloomsbury Campus, the Royal Free Campus and the Whittington Campus. Associated hospitals include Eastman Dental Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Moorfields Hospital; University College Hospitals, including the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery; Royal Free Hospital and the Whittington Hospital. There are also strong academic links with NHS Trusts in Greater London and the
South East.
ucl medical school
The Medical School delivers the undergraduate teaching mission of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. It has a medical student population of approximately 2,000 students, who are based at the three main teaching sites – Bloomsbury campus, the Royal Free Campus and the Whittington campus. The students also undertake part of the course at district General Hospitals, General Practices and the community.
The six-year undergraduate medical curriculum involves integration of clinical teaching into the early years and continues basic science teaching through to the end of the degree programme. An intercalated BSc year is compulsory for all non-graduate entrants and the six-year course requires careful management of the capacities available in the School's NHS and other partners. Aside from the intercalated BSc component, the undergraduate programme is divided into three Phases. Phase I comprises years 1 and 2, which concentrate extensively on the life sciences. Phase II comprises years 3 and 4 which have a mainly clinical basis, and Phase III comprises year 5 of the medical undergraduate programme which is also clinical and includes a number of external placements. The Professional Development Spine is an innovative part of the curriculum, which runs throughout the course and aims to introduce students to the professional knowledge, skills and
attitudes they will require to function as doctors.
Dean Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Vice-Provost Health, Professor Edward Byrne
Dean, Health Services Research, UCL and Partners, Professor Ian Jacobs
Vice-Dean Research, Professor Raymond MacAllister
Vice-Dean and Director of Medical Education, Professor Jane Dacre
Vice Dean Primary Care, Professor Irwin Nazareth
Vice-Dean and Campus Director (Royal Free), Professor Humphrey Hodgson
Vice-Dean and Campus Director (Whittington), Professor David Patterson
"It is not what happens that determines the major part of your future. What happens, happens to us all. It is what you do about what happens that counts."
Jim Rohn
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (Ref 402)
Applications are sought for a health psychology postdoctoral scientist to work on a research programme on psychological aspects of coronary heart disease funded by the British Heart Foundation in the Psychobiology Group (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychobiology/). Applicants should have a PhD in quantitative health psychology and appropriate research experience. The core attributes will be research ability and an interest in cardiovascular health psychology. Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills, experience of writing reports and publications, project management, quantitative research and statistical skills in SPSS are all essential qualities required. The post is initially funded until 31st December 2010, so provides an excellent opportunity for a health psychologist to develop a sustained research career within a multidisciplinary group in a strongly research-orientated academic department. Starting salary (UCL Grade 7): up to
£32,485 per annum (inclusive of £2,781 per annum London Allowance). The minimum starting salary is £31,620 per annum (inclusive of £2,781 per annum London Allowance).
Application forms at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs or from f.bortolotti@ucl.ac.uk, 020 7679 1681. Full details below. Applications to Ms Bortolotti, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT. Closing date: Midday, Friday 13th March 2009.
Taking Action for Equality
UCL RESEARCH Department of Epidemiology AND public Health
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (Ref 402)
Applications are sought for a health psychology postdoctoral scientist to work on a research programme on psychological aspects of coronary heart disease, funded by the British Heart Foundation and based in the Psychobiology Group (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychobiology/). Applicants should have a PhD in quantitative health psychology and appropriate research experience. The core attributes will be research ability and an interest in cardiovascular health psychology. The post is initially funded until 31st December 2010, but will be continued for a further 5 years subject to grant renewal. It therefore provides an excellent opportunity for a health psychologist to develop a sustained research career within a multidisciplinary group in a strongly research-orientated academic department.
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.1 PSYCHOBIOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
This full-time post is based within the Psychobiology Group in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. The Psychobiology Group is a multidisciplinary research team directed by Professor Andrew Steptoe, British Heart Foundation Professor of Psychology. It is funded primarily by the British Heart Foundation, with additional grant funding from the MRC, ESRC, the US National Institute on Aging and NPRI. The group (typically around 15 people) is multidisciplinary, and members have backgrounds in clinical medicine, health psychology, dietetics, psychophysiology, cell biology and nursing. The group carries out clinical, experimental and survey studies of psychosocial factors and health, with a particular focus on the biological processes through which social and emotional factors influence disease risk. Since 2000, the Psychobiology Group has published more than 230 papers.
1.2 THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The Department of Epidemiology and Public Health is chaired by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and houses roughly 180 staff divided into thirteen research groups: namely; the International Centre for Lifecourse Studies; Whitehall II Study; the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing (incorporating the National Survey of Health and Development); the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre; the Leonard Cheshire Disability and Inclusive Development Centre; Dental Public Health, Psychobiology, Central and Eastern Europe, Health and Social Surveys, Genetic Epidemiology, Clinical Epidemiology, Health Care Evaluation, Global Health Equity Groups. There is also a cross-cutting medical and social statistics network and a great deal of collaborative research is conducted through the International Institute for Society and Health, housed within the Department.
For an outline of current research projects in the Department please visit our website at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology/. The Department contributes to undergraduate and graduate teaching, and runs several seminar series, which all members of staff are encouraged to attend. For an institutional profile see Annexe A below.
1.3 DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH
The Division of Population Health at UCL (the Division) is part of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences (FBS). It aims to enhance the health of patients and populations by promoting public health and improving clinical care. Members of the Division are the Research Departments of Epidemiology & Public Health (EPH); Infection and Population Health (IPH); Mental Health Sciences (MHS); Primary Care & Population Health (PCPH), the Centre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional Education (CHIME); and the associated MRC Clinical Trials Unit (MRCCTU). Its skills mix of epidemiological, clinical, statistical and behavioural science provides the scientific basis to underpin an internationally competitive research programme. The current Divisional Director is Professor Anne Johnson. Full details of the individual Research Departments and associated Unit can be found at:
CHIME http://www.chime.ucl.ac.uk
Epidemiology & Public Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology/
Infection & Population Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/iph/
Mental Health Sciences http://www.ucl.ac.uk/mental-health-sciences/
MRC Clinical Trials Unit http://www.ctu.mrc.ac.uk/
Primary Care & Population Health http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pcph/index.htm
2 DETAILS OF THE POST
Accountable to: Professor Andrew Steptoe
Based at: Torrington Place, London WC1
Principal Objectives, Duties and Responsibilities
The post-holder will work on the British Heart Foundation 5 year programme grant held by Professor Steptoe, which commenced in January 2006. This currently runs until December 2010 but is likely to be renewed for a further 5 year period. He or she will be replacing Dr Gerry Molloy, who has worked in the group since 2006 and has now been appointed to a lectureship at the University of Stirling. Three major studies have been carried out in this programme so far: a laboratory investigation of psychobiological processes linking low socioeconomic status with cardiovascular disease risk (the Heart Scan study); a clinical study of emotion, neuroendocrine function and cardiac ischaemia in patients with coronary artery disease (SIS study); and a clinical study of the emotional and biological responses of patients admitted to coronary care with acute coronary syndromes, and their relationship with later adaptation (Trace study). This work is being conducted in
collaboration with experts from allied disciplines, including Professor Sir Michael Marmot (epidemiology), Professor Jorge Erusalimsky (vascular biology), Professor Brian Henderson (cell biology), Professor Juan-Carlos Kaski and Dr Jean McEwan (clinical cardiology), and Professor Avijit Lahiri (nuclear medicine).
The research associate will contribute to the follow-up of the Trace study, but will be particularly involved in a new study of emotional responses and adaptation following coronary artery bypass surgery. This is being carried out in collaboration with Professor Marjan Jahangiri of St. George’s Hospital, University of London. This will involve clinical interviews, questionnaire administration, and measurements of heart rate variability and saliva in patients before and after major cardiac surgery.
The research associate will be involved in all aspects of this research programme. Duties will include:
· Assisting in the detailed development of research protocols, including the preparation of questionnaire and interview materials;
· Liaising effectively with clinical collaborators at UCL, St. George’s Hospital and elsewhere;
· Carrying out interviews with cardiac patients;
· Processing and analysing physiological data such as heart rate variability and accelerometer measurements;
· Carrying out statistical analyses, including analysis of variance, regression analysis and multi-level modelling, using SPSS, STATA and MLwiN;
· Preparing drafts of papers for publication, and presenting data at national and international conferences;
· Contributing to grant writing and grant applications;
· Assisting in the supervision of PhD and MSc students;
· Maintaining own continuing professional development;
· Following and promoting UCL policies, including Equal Opportunities;
· Maintaining an awareness and observation of fire and health and safety regulations;
· Participating in departmental and faculty seminars aimed at sharing research outcomes and building interdisciplinary collaboration within and outside the department;
· Carrying out any other duties commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post.
Subject to the regulations of the funding bodies appropriately qualified members of research staff will be expected to contribute to teaching and/or other departmental activities. At the present time this is estimated to amount to an absolute maximum of thirty contact teaching hours per annum.
This job description reflects the present requirements of the post and, as duties and responsibilities change/develop, the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the postholder.
3. PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate enthusiasm, attention to detail, diligence and commitment. They must have the ability to work well within a team as well as on their own.
Qualifications
E = essential
D = desirable
Assessed by:
A= application
I = interview
R= references
BSc psychology, physiology or other relevant discipline (2.1 or 1st)
E
A
PhD in health psychology or relevant discipline
E
A
Skills/Abilities
Project management skills
E
A / I / R
Quantitative research skills
E
A / I / R
Ability to carry out statistical analyses using SPSS and other packages
E
A / I / R
Good interpersonal skills
E
I / R
Excellent oral and written communication skills
E
I / R
Knowledge of appropriate statistical methods
E
I / R
Ability to work in multi-professional team
E
A / I / R
Ability to manage time, prioritise workload and work to strict deadlines
E
A / I / R
Organisational skills: attention to detail and good record keeping
E
A / I / R
Self-motivation, the ability to work on own initiative and in a team
E
A / I / R
Experience
Experience of interviewing patients and clients
E
A / I / R
Carrying out quantitative research
E
A / I / R
Data analysis
E
A / I / R
Writing up research for publication
E
A / I / R
Collection of physiological data
D
A / I
Questionnaire design
D
A / I
Knowledge and Aptitude
Social, political and public health agenda
E
A / I
Psychological aspects of cardiovascular disease
D
A / I
Information and information technology
E
A / I
Commitment to continuous professional development.
E
A / I
Commitment to UCL’s policy of equal opportunity and the ability to work harmoniously with colleagues and students of all cultures & backgrounds
E
A / I
4. TERMS & CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
Salary
The salary for this post is Grade 7, in the range £28,839 - £29,704 plus £2,781 London Allowance per annum. Progression through the salary scale is incremental following satisfactory completion of probationary period. Cost of living pay awards are negotiated nationally and are normally effective from 1st August each year.
Tenure
Funding is currently available until 31st December 2010 for this full-time post funded by the British Heart Foundation.
Probation
All research staff will be subject to a nine month probationary period with reviews at three and eight months. Probation is a period of initial professional development during which the College provides training and guidance to help new staff become fully effective members of their department.
Hours of Work
The working week for a full time member of staff averages 36.5 hours excluding lunch hours (pro-rata for part time staff). Times of work are determined by the Research Department Head (or any person so delegated, e.g. grant holder or line manager).
Annual Leave
The leave year runs from 1st October to 30th September. Full time staff are entitled to 27 days annual leave per year (pro rata for part time staff). In addition, staff are entitled to 8 days public and statutory holiday’s and 6 UCL closure days per year. Part time staff will be entitled to the pro-rata equivalent of these days.
Appraisal, Review & Development
All staff who have satisfactorily completed their probationary period will have regular appraisals with their line manager. UCL's commitment to regular appraisal is founded on the belief that all members of staff have a right to a clear understanding of their department's expectations of them, an opportunity for detailed discussion of their contribution to the achievement of departmental and institutional goals and to feel valued. Appraisal is designed to facilitate effective two-way communication and is a key mechanism for identifying training and development needs and ensuring that they are met.
Superannuation
All Research Staff on Grade 7-10 are eligible to join the Universities Superannuation Scheme (subject to the Scheme’s rules and regulations), which is a final salary scheme with a current employee contribution rate of 6.35% and a current employer contribution rate of 14% of salary.
Pre-employment Health Screening
Where appropriate to the work being performed, confirmation of appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment health screening and appropriate immunisation against infectious diseases.
Confidentiality
All employees are required to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality at all times.
Criminal Records Check
Where appropriate for the work being performed, any offer of employment will be subject to a
satisfactory Criminal Records Check.
Health & Safety
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and Fire Regulations to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees and visitors. UCL operates a No Smoking Policy which does not allow smoking on any of its premises.
Data Protection
In accordance with the Data Protection Act (1984) employees must obtain, process and/or use information held on computer or word processor in a fair and lawful way, hold data only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way. Employees should disclose data only to authorised organisations as instructed.
Research Governance
Where appropriate to the work being performed, the post holder will be expected to be familiar with the requirements of the UCL research governance framework and to comply with all relevant Trust’s policies pertaining to research governance. This will include ensuring that all clinical research activities of the post holder are approved by the Trust and an appropriate ethics committee before commencement. This will also include meeting all the Trust research audit, monitoring and training requirements.
The UCL research governance framework can be found on the UCL website at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/research/gov/intro.htm)
Recruitment and Selection
All employees who are responsible for recruiting new staff are required to attend an in-house recruitment and selection training course before they can be involved in the recruitment process.
General
The postholder will actively follow UCL policies including:
· Equal Opportunities Policy
· Policy and Guidelines for Conflicts of Interest
· A Policy for Investigating and Resolving Allegations of Financial Irregularity
· Personal Relationships at Work: Code of Conduct
· Public Interest Disclosure
· Policy on the Investigation of Research Misconduct
· UCL’s Financial Regulations
· UCL’s Policy on Data Protection
· Code of Conduct for Undertaking Business on Behalf of UCL
Please see the Human Resources website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/ for information on employment policies.
The Code of Conduct for Undertaking Business on Behalf of UCL can be found at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/fin_docs/code_of_conduct.htm
Benefits
Joining UCL as a staff member are many and include:
· Season ticket loans available to staff who have successfully completed their probationary period with the facility to repay through a monthly deduction from salary.
· Access to an extensive range of in-house staff development opportunities. Staff have full use of the UCL libraries and UCL operates a Study Assistance Scheme for those undertaking part-time work-related study.
· All UCL campuses are served by excellent transport links making it easy to travel between sites.
· The main campus lies in Bloomsbury, just north of Oxford Street, Covent Garden and the heart of the West End with access to shops, theatres, cinemas, bars and restaurants. UCL also has its own 550 seat West End arts venue (Bloomsbury Theatre) which hosts drama, dance, music, debates and lectures during the year.
· All campuses have subsidised cafeterias/bars.
· UCL staff can also benefit from corporate membership at a Tottenham Court Road gym (and one at the Royal Free Campus).
Campus Locations
For further information on how to find us (including travel information) please see: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/population-health/findus/index.htm
As duties and responsibilities change, this job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder.
5. HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates are invited to contact Professor Andrew Steptoe for informal discussion about this post: email: a.steptoe@ucl.ac.uk telephone: 020 7679 5628.
Applications will be accepted in the form of a UCL application form downloadable from here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/download_forms/job_app.doc or from Floriana Bortolotti (020 7679 1681 or via f.bortolotti@ucl.ac.uk).
The form can be used in conjunction with a CV but all questions must be answered, the application form signed and the equal opportunities monitoring form completed. Please note that only complete and full applications can be included in the short-listing process.
Complete applications with a covering letter should be returned to Ms Floriana Bortolotti, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT.
Those selected for interview will be contacted either by email or telephone so please ensure your contact details are correct. All interviews will be held on 17th March 2009.
CLOSING DATE for this post is Friday 13th March 2009
PLEASE NOTE
· We regret that because of administration costs we are only able to respond to applicants whom we wish to interview. If you have not heard from us within one month of the application deadline please assume you have been unsuccessful for this post.
· References will be taken up for all short-listed candidates. If you prefer that we did not contact your employer at the initial stage of interviews please state this clearly in your application.
· Travel costs will be reimbursed for all interviewees, up to the equivalent of the most economical train/air fare available from the point of entry to the UK.
· All candidates invited to interview will be expected to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK at the time of interview. Evidence may be presented in the form of a British Passport or a Passport or National Identity Card from an EEA country or Switzerland; a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder can stay indefinitely in the UK or that they can stay in the UK and are allowed to undertake the type of work being offered (for further advice please contact Human Resources); or an Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office stating that the holder is permitted to take employment.
· Where candidates require a work permit, final appointment will be subject to receipt of that permit, which can take up to three months from point of application.
· Should you wish to receive this job description in an alternative format please let us know.
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES
university college london http://www.ucl.ac.uk
Introduction
UCL is one of the UK’s premier universities and is ranked in the world’s top 10. It is a world-class research and teaching institution based in London whose staff and former students have included 20 Nobel Prize winners. Founded in 1826, it was the only university in England at that time which admitted students regardless of race or religion. UCL was also the first to admit women on equal terms with men. Today, UCL is an inspiring university in which to work and study and it continues to thrive on the diversity and creativity of its community.
UCL is a university in its own right, although constitutionally also a college within the federal University of London. With an annual turnover exceeding £600 million, it is financially and managerially independent of the University of London.
The UCL Community
UCL currently employs approximately 8,000 staff and includes academic units as diverse as the Slade School of Fine Art, the Mullard Space Science Laboratory and the Institute of Child Health, which is associated with Great Ormond Street Hospital. In total, there are 54 Academic Departments and Institutes whose activities span the following: arts and humanities, social and historical sciences, law, architecture and the built environment, engineering sciences, mathematical and physical sciences, life and clinical sciences, and medicine. UCL’s academic and research staff are a truly international community with more than a quarter coming from 84 countries outside the UK.
12,000 undergraduates and 7,500 graduate students study at UCL, of whom over 25% come from 140 countries outside the UK. UCL offers 275 undergraduate programmes and more than 220 taught postgraduate programmes as well as the opportunity to carry out postgraduate research in all of its subjects. More than a third of the student community is engaged in graduate studies, with about 40% of these graduate students pursuing research degrees.
Quality of UCL’s Teaching and Research
Two measures of the current quality of UCL’s teaching and research are the results of the external teaching quality assessment reviews and the periodic Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
During the teaching quality reviews conducted in the period 1993-2001, 75% of all reviews of UCL departments resulted in ratings of ‘excellent’ (22+ points out of 24). Of these, four Departments received the maximum 24 points.
In the 2001 RAE, 60 UCL Departments achieved top ratings of 5* and 5: of these, 15 departments have since been classified by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as 'best 5*' for HEFCE research funding purposes - that is, departments which either received the 5* rating both in 2001 and in the previous RAE in 1996 or which improved their 1996 rating to 5* in 2001 while maintaining or increasing numbers of research active staff. These 'best 5*' departments span the full range of UCL’s disciplines.
Another measure of UCL’s research excellence has been its success in bidding for external competitive funds from the Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) and the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF). With the addition of required matching funds, JIF and SRIF are allowing UCL to invest more than £350 million into state-of-the-art infrastructure for cutting-edge research and teaching programmes.
Location and Working Environment
Based in Bloomsbury, UCL is a welcoming, inclusive university situated at the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities.
UCL’s central campus is within easy reach of Euston, Kings Cross and Marylebone mainline stations, the new Eurostar terminal at St.Pancras and the following Underground stations – Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street and Russell Square. Road connections to the M1 and M40 motorways give easy access to the north and west road networks. There are also good public transport links to Heathrow airport.
school of life and medical sciences
In 2007 the School of Life and Medical Sciences was established to co-ordinate the work of the Faculties of Life and Biomedical Sciences. These structural changes have further enhanced the exceptionally strong base of research and teaching in Biomedicine at UCL.
ucl faculty of biomedical sciences
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/biomedical-sciences/
Biomedical Sciences at University College London represents one of the largest and most prestigious aggregations of academics in biomedicine in Europe today. Active groups are working in almost all of the major themes of medical science ranging from basic research to the clinic. Biomedicine at UCL has a richness of depth and breadth which is equalled by few universities throughout the world. Great achievements have been made in UCL biomedicine going back many decades as evidenced by the number of Nobel Prizes won in the institution. UCL’s status in research and teaching continues to be demonstrated by the production of more high-impact biomedical papers in the United Kingdom than any other university and by the large number of Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society, as well as Presidents and Senior Officers of the Medical royal Colleges, to be found among UCL biomedical academics.
The academic activity of FBS is delivered by 14 Divisions and Institutes: Cancer Institute, Institute of Child Health, Ear Institute, Eastman Dental Institute, Division of Infection and Immunity, Division of Medical Education, Division of Medicine, Institute of Neurology, Institute of Ophthalmology, Division of Population Health, Division of Research Strategy, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Institute for Women’s Health. The Divisions/Institutes are situated on three main sites - the Bloomsbury Campus, the Royal Free Campus and the Whittington Campus. Associated hospitals include Eastman Dental Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Moorfields Hospital; University College Hospitals, including the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery; Royal Free Hospital and the Whittington Hospital. There are also strong academic links with NHS Trusts in Greater London and the
South East.
ucl medical school
The Medical School delivers the undergraduate teaching mission of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. It has a medical student population of approximately 2,000 students, who are based at the three main teaching sites – Bloomsbury campus, the Royal Free Campus and the Whittington campus. The students also undertake part of the course at district General Hospitals, General Practices and the community.
The six-year undergraduate medical curriculum involves integration of clinical teaching into the early years and continues basic science teaching through to the end of the degree programme. An intercalated BSc year is compulsory for all non-graduate entrants and the six-year course requires careful management of the capacities available in the School's NHS and other partners. Aside from the intercalated BSc component, the undergraduate programme is divided into three Phases. Phase I comprises years 1 and 2, which concentrate extensively on the life sciences. Phase II comprises years 3 and 4 which have a mainly clinical basis, and Phase III comprises year 5 of the medical undergraduate programme which is also clinical and includes a number of external placements. The Professional Development Spine is an innovative part of the curriculum, which runs throughout the course and aims to introduce students to the professional knowledge, skills and
attitudes they will require to function as doctors.
Dean Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Vice-Provost Health, Professor Edward Byrne
Dean, Health Services Research, UCL and Partners, Professor Ian Jacobs
Vice-Dean Research, Professor Raymond MacAllister
Vice-Dean and Director of Medical Education, Professor Jane Dacre
Vice Dean Primary Care, Professor Irwin Nazareth
Vice-Dean and Campus Director (Royal Free), Professor Humphrey Hodgson
Vice-Dean and Campus Director (Whittington), Professor David Patterson
"It is not what happens that determines the major part of your future. What happens, happens to us all. It is what you do about what happens that counts."
Jim Rohn
