Job Description

About the Well Centre Charity

The Well Centre Charity exists to ensure that every young person aged 10-20 has access to healthcare that truly understands and supports them -- care that is holistic, youth-friendly, and free from barriers. Our model brings together GPs, health and wellbeing practitioners, and other healthcare professionals to provide integrated physical and mental health care in one place. It began in Lambeth and has since inspired services across South London and beyond. We are now in an exciting new phase, working with partners to expand and evaluate our model across multiple boroughs, helping reduce health inequalities and strengthen support for young people's wellbeing.

As a newer charity entering the start up and social franchise stage of our development, we are now building the evidence, learning, and system infrastructure needed to scale the Well Centre model nationally. We are positioning ourselves as an innovation partner to local and national systems, using rigorous research and evaluation to understand how the model can be adapted, embedded, and strengthened in different contexts. Joining at this early stage offers a rare opportunity to shape how our research capacity grows and to contribute foundational insight to an ambitious national scaling programme.

The Well Centre Charity works in partnership with the Herne Hill Group Practice, the base for the original Well Centre service. This post holder will work exclusively on a Well Centre Charity programme funded by the Maudsley Charity, but for organizational reasons the job contract will be with the Herne Hill Group Practice.

Our Values and Approach

We are:

Young person-centered: We listen, respect, and empower young people to shape the support they need. Inclusive and equitable: We strive to remove barriers to care and reach those often left out. Evidence-led: We use data and learning to drive real change. Collaborative: We build bridges across communities, research, and services. Compassionate and practical: We care deeply about outcomes and get things done together.

About the Role

This post offers an exceptional opportunity to be at the heart of an innovative and growing programme that reimagines how primary care supports young people. The Research Fellow will lead the research and evaluation workstream of a new, three-year initiative funded by the Maudsley Brighter Futures Fund in partnership with King's College London's CAMHS Digital Lab. Working across the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) boroughs -- Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, and Croydon -- you'll play a vital role in documenting, evaluating, and demonstrating the impact of our approach to youth-friendly healthcare. Supervised by Dr Ann Hagell (Consultant to the Well Centre Charity) and Professor Johnny Downs (King's College London), you'll help build the charity's evidence and impact function and contribute to a programme that blends practical implementation with high-quality research.

What You'll Do

You will:

Design and deliver research and evaluation to track the rollout of new Well Centre-style services in four South London boroughs. Analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to understand how services improve young people's outcomes. Support digital innovation with King's CAMHS Digital Lab. Contribute to engagement and co-production with young people and community voices Prepare protocols and ensure ethical standards are met. Write and share findings through reports, presentations, and publications. Provide research insight to the wider team and champion evidence-led practice.

About You

We're looking for a thoughtful, curious, and motivated researcher who wants their work to make a tangible difference to young people's lives. You'll enjoy being part of a small, collaborative team where flexibility, initiative, and shared purpose matter more than hierarchy.

Essential:

A postgraduate degree (e.g. MSc) in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, social sciences, or a related discipline Demonstrable experience in setting up or supporting research studies, preferably in population and/or adolescent health. Ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights Ability to synthesise literature and evidence concisely for reporting to diverse audiences Evidence of strong written and verbal communication skills Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines Proven ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team Knowledge of ethical research practices and GDPR compliance Ability to form strong working relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholders at all levels, both in person and virtually. Experience of qualitative research with young people.

Desirable

A PhD in epidemiology, public health, social sciences, or a related discipline (completed or due to be submitted within 3 months of application) Prior (extensive) experience of working on adolescent health, youth development, and/or primary care or CAMHS services Knowledge of publicly available health, social and mapping data from e.g., NHS Digital, NHSE/I, PHE, ONS, etc. Knowledge of clinical phenotyping codes such as Read Codes and SNOMED. First-hand experience of relevant approval processes including research ethics Knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), Digital Economy Act, and working within NHS Information governance standards Strong quantitative and analytical skills of large-scale health related data, using statistical software packages (e.g., R, Python, or STATA). A passion for contributing to meaningful research in child and adolescent health Experience of co-design with young people

What We Offer

The chance to be part of a pioneering programme improving youth health Supportive and collaborative work environment Collaborative, values-led environment Autonomous and entrepreneurial environment Opportunities for publication and development Hybrid working and flexibility
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: 34,960.82-40,000.00 per year

Expected hours: No more than 37.5 per week

Benefits:

Company pension Cycle to work scheme On-site parking Referral programme
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London SW2 3UP