Research Assistant, CHATTER Project Full-time

Research Assistant, CHATTER Project

The UCL Division of Psychiatry, located within the Faculty of Brain Sciences, is a world-renowned centre of excellence in mental health research. Our mission is to improve mental health through cutting-edge research and education. By leveraging insights from basic science, we address clinical problems with the aim of improving patient outcomes and public health. Moreover, we take pride in delivering innovative teaching that is directly relevant to clinical practice and informed by our research. Join our team and help us drive forward the field of mental health research and education.

CHATTER (Co-producted cHaracterisation of AffecTive Thoughs in agEing and dementia Research) is an interdisciplinary research programme focused on developing a novel, ethical, reliable and valid artificial intelligence / natural language processing (AI/NLP) pipeline to characterise internal thoughts (e.g., worry, rumination) and to determine which thought properties are associated with age-related cognitive, mental, and brain health. The programme brings together expertise from psychology, psychiatry, psycholinguistics, computer science, and statistics, alongside peer researchers with lived experience of ageing and mental illness, to ensure real-world relevance and authenticity.

The research is motivated by the high and growing rates of mental and neurological disorders among older adults in the UK. By developing scalable, tools to characterise thinking styles, CHATTER aims to support earlier identification of modifiable risk and protective factors relevant to healthy ageing and dementia prevention.

We are seeking a Research Assistant to support delivery of the CHATTER Research Programme, working closely with the Research Fellow (to be appointed), Principal Investigator (Dr Natalie Marchant) and a multidisciplinary team from UCL, Queen Mary University London and the University of Surrey.

You will be committed to contributing to a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment in mental health and ageing research, and engaging with a range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of mental health problems and researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds. You will assist with co-production workshops, annotation of transcripts, and neuropsychological assessments, ensuring accurate and high-quality data collection, entry, and management.

Appointment details:

• The post is graded on the non-clinical research staff pay scale at Grade 6B, spine point 25, with an annual salary of £39,148, including London Allowance
• The appointment is available from 20 April 2026 and is funded for 20 months in the first instance.

You will hold an MSc in Psychology, Mental Health Sciences or a closely related discipline with demonstrated knowledge of mental health in the context of ageing and/or dementia research. You will work with peer researchers from the community to annotate transcripts of internal thoughts, recruit participants, and conduct neuropsychological assessments, strictly adhering to ethical guidelines.

You will be a collaborative colleague, with experience of participant-facing research, including Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and/or co-production. A meticulous approach to maintaining accurate records, the ability to manage workload, flexibility, and willingness to continue learning are key to success in this role.

Application process:

• A full job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
• Please use the personal statement section to explain how you meet each essential and desirable criteria outlined in the person specification.
• Applications will be anonymised, therefore please ensure your personal statement is fully completed as the panel will not be able to see any supporting documents uploaded. Please also ensure to include your degree class within your personal statement if applicable.
• Please do not upload a CV or your photograph on your personal statement.

Contact details:

• If you have any queries about the role, please contact Dr Natalie Marchant at n.marchant@ucl.ac.uk
• If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online or have any queries about the application process, please contact dop.hr@ucl.ac.uk

What we offer:

• 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

The Division of Psychiatry prides itself for operating in an all-inclusive environment. Teamwork is highly valued, individual strengths are recognised and celebrated, and there is a commitment to advancing the careers of everyone, regardless of gender or role. We aim to provide a family friendly environment where both women and men feel able to take the time they need for family. The Athena SWAN Charter recognises commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in academia and the Division is delighted to have an Athena Swan Silver Award since 2022. All staff are invited to contribute to EDI initiatives within the Division to contribute to improving working conditions and opportunities for all. Mentoring is a crucial part of supporting career progression and mentoring schemes are available for staff in the Division.