About us

The Prevention Lab is a research group led by Dr Breedvelt based in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. The group focuses on advancing outcomes of preventive approaches by understanding what works (and doesn’t) for preventing common mental health conditions in children and young people.

In 2025, the department will be based in the newly established Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/pears-maudsley-centre which will offer ample of opportunity to collaborate with academics, clinicians and lived experience experts.

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) is the largest academic community in Europe devoted to the study and prevention of mental illness and brain disease.  

This post is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and ambitious postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in data analysis and evidence synthesis to lead on a series of studies aiming to understand the efficacy of primary and relapse prevention interventions of common mental health conditions.

About the role

In your role, you will lead on analysing large secondary datasets which pool data from individual randomised controlled trials focussing on the primary and tertiary prevention of common mental health conditions in children, adolescents, and (young) adults. You will collaborate with a team of methodological, lived experience, policy, and practice experts to help inform the research and translate research to practice.

The central questions of this research are to understand what works for whom and how, and you will have the opportunity to work with existing harmonised datasets using a range of techniques including individual participant component network meta-analysis, mediation analysis and trajectory modelling.

There will be ample opportunity to develop your skills further via training and access to our international network of academic experts.

This role will moreover provide scope for developing highly visible and translational outputs, including (commissioning) an RShiny dashboard, infographics, and animations for ease of interpretation of the results.

The postholder will have an interest in evidence synthesis and/or secondary data analysis in mental health. It would suit a bright, responsible individual who can take initiative as well as work well in a team as well as problem solve issues relatively independently.

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 02.09.2025. The post can be held part-time as well, and flexible working options are certainly possible to discuss.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1.      A PhD in a relevant discipline [e.g. mental health, psychology, epidemiology, evidence synthesis] with a substantial quantitative component

2.      Experience of quantitative analytic methods (e.g. meta-analysis, network meta-analysis, trajectory analysis, psychometric modelling, or individual participant data meta-analysis

3.      Experience of using open science practices

4.      Proven ability to use initiative to efficiently plan, and progress projects and communicate their findings.

5.      An understanding of confidentiality and protocols for ethics and data protection

6.      Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise

Desirable criteria

1.      Experience of patient and public involvement in research.

2.      Experience of working with colleagues to develop innovative outputs that help to disseminate the research.

3.      Good organisation and administrative skills

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

Interviews are due to be held on 8th August

We are able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.