Research Assistant

The main purpose of the Research Assistant is to support the effective
delivery of the Cancer Research UK funded study titled: “Improving uptake
of breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening among Muslim women: a
non-randomised feasibility study of a peer-led, faith-based intervention”, by
working in partnership with the community, building and maintaining
strong links with the community and ensuring the project is grounded in a
true participatory approach.

**Key Responsibilities**
**and**
**Accountabilities**:

- Act as the Recruitment Lead for the project.
- Facilitate recruitment of research participants.
- Facilitate the recruitment and maintenance of the Public Involvement

Community Engagement (PICE) group.
- Facilitate links to relevant communities in the North East of England and

Scotland.
- Contribute to relevant research meetings.
- Contribute to all aspects of the research where relevant.
- Develop and implement a personal research plan and where

appropriate related reach-out plan.
- Undertake basic research for example by preparing, setting up,

conducting and recording the outcome of experiments and field work,
the development of questionnaires and conducting surveys.
- Conduct literature and database searches.
- Continue to update knowledge and develop skills.
- Seek to exploit the outcomes of research.
- Assist in the supervision of student projects.
- Could be expected to contribute to delivery of modules for example on

the use of research methods and equipment.

**Special**
**Circumstances**:
This role is specific to the project titled: “Improving uptake of breast, bowel
and cervical cancer screening among Muslim women: a non-randomised
feasibility study of a peer-led, faith-based intervention”.

University of Sunderland

**Role Profile**

Part 2

**Part 2A: Essential and Desirable Criteria**

**_Essential_**

**Qualifications and Professional Memberships**:
N/A

**Knowledge and Experience**:

- Have strong links with relevant communities in the North East of

England and/or Scotland
- Experience of working in partnership with relevant communities
- Proven communication skills, including presentations to various

audiences
- Exceptional accuracy, thoroughness, attention to detail, and

organisation skills
**_Desirable _**

**_Qualifications and Professional Memberships:_**
- Health related degree

**Knowledge and Experience:
- Experience of conducting research
- Experience of recruitment of research participants

**Part 2B: Key Competencies**

**Competencies are**
**assessed at the**
**interview/selection**
**testing stage
**Analysis and Research
- Reports findings to wider community and is able to withstand

challenge by relying on evidence gathered and processed used for
analysis.
**Communication**

**Oral**
- Summarises and interprets complex, conceptual and special matters

to aid others’ understanding and aimed at their needs.
- Uses appropriate styles and arguments to influence and negotiate

satisfactory outcomes.
- Monitors understanding of others, develops approach and takes

corrective action if required.
**Written**
- Conveys information of a complex, conceptual and specialist nature

using a range of styles and media selected to meet the needs of
others.
- Presents complex information in formats appropriate to non
- specialists without comprising meaning
- Monitors the reactions of others and takes appropriate steps to

remedy any miscommunications.
***
**Decision Making**
**Independent decisions**
- Considers wider impact of decisions, assesses possible outcomes

and their likelihood.
- Uses judgement to make decisions with limited or ambiguous data

and takes account of multiple factors.
- Distinguishes between the need to make a decision, when to defer

and when not to take a decision.
**Collaborative decisions**
- Helps others to explore options that initially appear to be

inappropriate or unfeasible and recognise when a decision is or is
not needed.
- Enables others to contribute to decisions.
- Ensures that options are weighed, outcomes identified and chances

of success considered.
- Challenges decisions, appropriately to ensure consideration and

processes are robust.
**Contribute to the decision making of others**
- Anticipates and highlights issues that need to be taken into account.
- Outlines possible impacting factors, assessing their degree of

influence on the choice of options.
- Ensures previous learning is included.

**Initiative and Problem Solving**
- Initiates processes and procedures to resolve new problems.
- Anticipates possible implementation difficulties and identifies

practical ways of overcoming or preventing them.
- Takes account of others and the broader context when generating

options.

**Pastoral Care and Welfare**
- Calms and reassures those in distress.
- Deals with difficult situations or confidential matters, according to

policy and procedures.
- Involves others or refers elsewhere for assistance if the situation

becomes mo