Postdoctoral Researcher–MARIO Study

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Ref. no. NUIG 106-14

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 3 year fixed term contract position as Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Nursing and Midwifery on an EU Horizon 2020 funded projectentitled ‘Managing active and healthy aging with use of caring service robots’known as MARIO. The position is full-time.

MARIO addresses the difficult challenges of loneliness, isolation and dementia in older persons through innovative and multi-faceted inventions delivered by service robots. The effects of these conditions are severe and life-limiting. They burden individuals and societal support systems. Human intervention is costly but the severity can be prevented and/or mitigated by simple changes in self-perception and brain stimulation mediated by robots.The proposal is coordinated by the School of Nursing & Midwifery and involves 10 research partners from four other countries;Italy, UK, Greece and Germany.Pilot activities and interaction with caregivers, older persons and stakeholders are key elements of the project from beginning to finish which provide a user led design ethos in developing the service robotic. Advances will be made in the use of semantic data analytics, personal interaction, and unique applications tailored to better connect older persons to their care providers, community, own social circle and also to their personal interests. The project seeks to attain EU scientific and market leadership in service robots with a user driven solution for the major societal challenge of loneliness and isolation in older people, including people with dementia. The project will run over three years commencing February 2015.

NUI Galway are leading and coordinating MARIO and the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the successful planning, implementation and operational management of all aspects of the MARIO study.

Job description

The postholder will be required to take an active role in all aspects of the research. In addition to the practical research aspects, the successful candidate will be involved in developing research tools, quality assurance and control, writing reports, bidding for further funding and writing papers. A key part of the role will be to plan, execute, and finalise projects according to strict deadlines. The successful applicant will need excellentresearch andproject managementskills and will need to be able to engage successfully with all research partners.

Main duties and responsibilities:

  • Refine, in collaboration with the project leader, the scope, goals and deliverables required to meet the research aims.
  • Develop a project plan and associated communication documents for agreement with the Steering Group.
  • Compile data required for comprehensive progress reports, EU reports and presentations.
  • Draft reports as required.
  • Develop project website and social media communication mechanisms.
  • Manage the day to day operational matters of the project with the support of the project leader;
  • Coordinate work between clinicians and research partners;
  • Undertaking field data collection and data analyses as required;
  • Recruitment of pilot sitesand site management
  • Draft ethics as required
  • Coordinate interviews, including consent and scheduling.
  • Develop data collection tools for use within the project.
  • Coordinate the outcome measures for sites, define standard data collection and reporting procedures
  • Co-ordinate the timely delivery of the MARIO intervention;
  • Ensure and maintain the quality of all factors involved in the production and development of the intervention(s)
  • Establish and maintain effective and efficient communication mechanisms with contemporary researchers working across countries on MARIO;
  • Undertake and write up literature review work;
  • Set up and co-ordinate research meetings;
  • Draft research papers as required
  • Contribute to the dissemination of information and findings;
  • Liaise with project stakeholders on an ongoing basis;
  • Undertake data collection and analysis and supervise others undertaking same;
  • Prepare presentations for conferences;
  • Assist in other reasonable research-related tasks as requested by Dr Casey or that may be agreed with the research partners

Requirements

  • A PhD in nursing, IT or a related field.
  • Substantialexperience in research
  • Evidenceof successful project management of complex research projects including operational management of budget.
  • Flexibility in meeting project requirements and in working across multiple projects;
  • Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
  • Proven track record of ability to meet deadlines, to initiate, plan, organise and deliver programmes of work
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills to include substantial experience in report writing;
  • Peer review publications;
  • Capable of working independentlyand autonomously;
  • Highly motivated and passionate about developing high quality research;
  • Skilled at researching project-related issues and products;
  • Self-motivated with strong attention to detail and quality
  • Excellent IT skills;
  • Clearance by Gárda vetting bureau

Informal enquiries may be made to project leader Dr. Dympna Casey at

Salary: €55,000 fixedper annum

Start date: 1stJanuary 2015

Further information on research and working at NUI Galway is available onResearch at NUI Galway

Further information about the School of Nursing and Midwifery is available at

TO APPLY:

Candidates are requested to submit a covering letter, CV and the names and addresses of three and not more than five referees via e-mail (in word or PDF only) to:

Ms. Sheena Connolly

Please put reference no. NUIG 106-14in subject line of e-mail when sending your application.

Closing date for receipt of applications is5pm on Friday 5th December 2014.

Interview date: Interviews to be held week 15th December 2014.

National University of Ireland, Galway is an equal opportunitiesemployer.