Research Assistant – Character Strengths and Neurodiversity, Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds Research Full-time

Research Assistant – Character Strengths and Neurodiversity

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic.

The Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds Research is a newly funded research centre that aims to conduct world class research that contributes to a world where differences between people are understood and accepted, strengths are capitalised on, and mental health difficulties are prevented or addressed early.

The post holder will be a member of a research group led by Dr Jiedi Lei working on a project exploring Character Strengths in neurodivergent children and young people (ND CYP), with the aim of improving our understanding of how to adopt strengths-based approaches when working with families, professionals and teachers to best support neurodivergent children and young people in different settings.

What We Offer

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees' wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

The post is available on a flexible hybrid basis. The minimum on-site time would be 3 days/week with occasional additional meetings in person.

About the Role

The post is funded for two years and is full time. The post is based in the Department of Experimental Psychology, Life and Mind Building in Oxford.

You will be responsible for data collection using quantitative and qualitative methods, involved in co-production and pilot testing of a strengths spotting tool developed for parents/carers of autistic young people to recognise strengths in themselves and in their child through everyday interaction. You will also be involved in participatory research that will involve working directly with neurodivergent children and young people, their family and practitioners (including mental health practitioners and teachers), using mixed methods and creative research methods to evaluate strengths based intervention work to date within our lab, and support the co-development of strengths-based training materials for autistic young people, families, and professionals. You will contribute to the design of research materials, gather and analyse and present qualitative and quantitative data. You will promote public involvement with the research project, supporting research volunteers and contributing to public engagement activities.

About You

You will have an undergraduate degree in psychology or related healthcare profession (e.g., medicine) along with experience of collecting data from, or working with, children and/or young people, including individuals with developmental conditions. You will have excellent communication skills and a professional, reassuring and supportive manner when interacting with children, young people, and their families. With sufficient specialist knowledge of neurodiversity to work within established programmes, you will have experience of setting up and managing large databases and knowledge of statistics and experimental design and/or qualitative research and co-production methods.

Diversity

Committed to equality and valuing diversity, our active PsychiatryPeople and Culture teams and initiatives including our values and behaviours framework, work to make the Department of Psychiatry as supportive, welcoming and inclusive as possible.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application. Please see the University pages on the application process at the University of Oxford application process.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 PM on 22 September 2026. Interviews will take place in-person on 09 October 2026.