Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) team based in the Department of Experimental Psychology. We are a large clinical research team working to understand why mental health problems happen and how they can be best treated psychologically. The key focus is on improving outcomes for patients with psychosis. It is a thriving and supportive clinical research group that aims to carry out work to the highest standards for patients.



The focus of this post is delivering specialist psychological therapy for persecutory delusions in the context of a major new clinical trial. There are also supervision, teaching, and publication opportunities. The position will suit a clinical psychologist keen to apply cognitive theory and therapeutic techniques to improve treatment outcomes. This is a fixed term 18month post in the first instance, but there are likely to be opportunities to extend.



We are keen to develop the post-holder in a clinical academic career. The post-holder will be supervised by Prof Daniel Freeman and Dr Felicity Waite, and we welcome discussions with potential candidates. Lead the delivery of a specialist, remote psychological therapies clinic for patients with psychosis, as part of the delivery of the Feeling Safer trial. Deliver highly specialist psychological therapy to treat persecutory delusions as part of a large clinical trial: Feeling Safer.



The postholder will maintain a caseload of approximately 15 patients seen remotely. Help support the day-to-day management of the project at the local site, ensuring milestones are achieved and the work is carried out to the highest standards. Contribute to the supervision of assistant psychologists/ graduate mental health workers and peer support workers in the delivery of psychological interventions. Contribute to the supervision of research assistants in the recruitment and assessment of trial participants.



Work closely with the clinical teams in the collaborating NHS mental health trusts. This will include delivering new treatments to patients in these trusts as part of the clinical research and supervising and training others in the delivery of treatments. Provide regular reports on the progress of the study. This will include providing information needed by the funder.



Work closely with other members of the O-CAP research group, helping to ensure the success of studies conducted within the group. Please see the job description and person specification attached to this advert for more information on the job role. Publications relating to this role: Freeman, D., Isham, L., Waite, F. (2025).



A 6-month supported online program for the treatment of persecutory delusions: Feeling Safer. Psychological Medicine, 55, e179. Freeman, D., Emsley, R., Rosebrock, L., Waite, F. (2025).



Efficacy of a 6-month supported online programme (Feeling Safer) for the treatment of persecutory delusions: protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open;15:e104580.