Job overview
We are recruiting an Assistant Psychologist post (AP) to help evaluate the benefit of a new talking therapy.
The currently advertised post is for 11 months up until the end of July 2027.
This is multi-centre randomised controlled trial of a psychological intervention to improve sleep in people at risk of transition to psychosis or those in their first episode of psychosis. Sleeping better is funded by a grant led by Professor Daniel Freeman, and Dr. Felicity Waite from the University of Oxford.
The post-holder will be based with Robert Dudley’s research team in the St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle and will work in CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post will help deliver a large-scale Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a new psychological treatment for people with psychosis and sleep difficulties. The post will be based in St Nicholas Hospital but will involve travel across the Trust. The post holder will act as a research assistant and work with the trial therapist and the site lead to help evaluate the treatment trial
The ideal candidate will have experience in research and or clinical settings. It may help if you have experience of working with people who have experienced difficulties with paranoia and unusual experiences like hallucinations. They should have the ability to organize and manage multiple interlinked components of the project and their work. They will need to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and be able to conduct interviews and assessment with potentially vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, they will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
- Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the sleeping better or feeling safer controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, Oxford.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 23rd June 2026
Closing date : 7th July 2026
Likely interview dates: 20th July 2026
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.
Person specification
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 5 Dietetic Assistant roles in Newcastle Upon Tyne
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Higher Assistant Psychologist with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust in Newcastle Upon Tyne, North East and Yorkshire, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £32,073 - £39,043 per annum. The contract type is 11 months (This is a fixed term post linked to trial funding. The trial will end in July 2027). The application deadline is 07 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (23 Jun 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.