Job Description

Salary

Salary will be from 33,951 on Grade E per annum pro rata, subject to knowledge, skills and experience.

Contractual hours

18.25

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).

Job category/type

Research

Date posted

27/11/2025

Job reference

Q11219

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

The post

This is a part-time role at 0.5 FTE on a fixed term basis from 13/1/26 (or as soon as possible thereafter) until 31/3/27. The successful applicant will be required to pass a DBS check.

The School for Public Health Environments Research at Exeter (SPHERE) wishes to recruit a Graduate Research Assistant to perform project-related research with a focus on understanding how integrated, cross-sector approaches support young people with mental health challenges to access and sustain good-quality employment.

The University of Exeter is one of nine institutional members of the prestigious National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research (NIHR SPHR). NIHR SPHR is the NIHR's consortium of leading academic centres in public health, representing an investment in research and capacity-building worth >25m in the 2022-2027 quinquennium.

SPHERE is a highly interdisciplinary collection of researchers from across the breadth of the University's structure. Based in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, we deliver a range of research projects across four key research programmes: Health Inequalities, Public Mental Health, Children, Young People and Families and Healthy Places, Healthy Planet as well as anticipated cross-cutting projects on public understanding and data-driven insights. A commitment to effective and inclusive public involvement and engagement underpins all of SPHERE's ambitions, with specific regard to rural, low-income communities.

The postholder will work as part of a team to deliver the SPHR project; 'Voluntary Sector Evaluation Scheme (VoySES): Good Work for Young People'. VoySES is a pilot evaluation initiative led by the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) in partnership with the People's Health Trust designed to evaluate and strengthen the evidence base for community-led, voluntary sector initiatives that aim to improve health and reduce inequalities. It promotes participatory approaches, working collaboratively with voluntary organisations to understand what works, for whom, and in what contexts to create fairer health outcomes.

The key aims of the 'Good Work for Young People' project are to:

Examine how integrated approaches combining employment support with mental health services support young people with mental health challenges to access and sustain good-quality employment.

Understand what influences how the programme operates and generates positive outcomes for young people, delivery organisations, and employers.

Assess the programme's impacts on public health outcomes, including mental health, employment trajectories, social connectedness, and equity.

Generate actionable evidence and learning to inform future policy and practice on improving employment and wellbeing outcomes for young people facing mental health challenges.

The GRA will contribute to the qualitative strand of the project, supporting data collection, analysis, and stakeholder engagement activities across the three partner organisations delivering the support as well as with the People's Health Trust who are funding the employment support programme. The research is supported by a Project Advisory Group and a Young Person's Advisory Group, bringing together researchers, community members and young people with lived experience to shape the project, ensuring that its priorities, design, and interpretation are grounded in real-world perspectives and promote equity, inclusion, and relevance to those most affected.

About you

You will be an organised and motivated researcher with strong qualitative research skills and experience working collaboratively across sectors. Educated to degree level (or with equivalent experience) in a relevant field such as public health or social science, you will have a good understanding of qualitative methods, including conducting and analysing semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and familiarity with software such as NVivo.

You will have experience working with third sector organisations, public services, or community groups, and be confident engaging and building rapport with young people and people with lived experience of mental health challenges. Strong interpersonal and organisational skills are essential, alongside the ability to manage multiple stakeholder relationships and communicate complex information clearly in writing and verbally.

You will work sensitively and inclusively, demonstrating an understanding of co-production and participatory approaches. The role requires flexibility, attention to detail, and accurate record keeping, as well as a commitment to equality, diversity, and creating an inclusive research culture.

Please ensure you read the and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career


A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy


A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon.

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world's most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research - Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact Kath Wilkinson, k.wilkinson2@exeter.ac.uk.

The closing date for completed applications is

Monday 8th December 2025

. Interviews are expected to take place on

Tuesday

6th January 2026.