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JOB DESCRIPTION/ADVERT

Research Fellow
Centre for Evidence in Ethnicity, Health and Diversity

Centre for Health Services Studies (CHESS)
University of Warwick

Research Fellow IA £16,775 to £22,245 p.a.
Available immediately for 3 years (in the first instance)

Post Ref: 43/2R/00

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Centre for Health Services
Studies (CHESS) for an enthusiastic epidemiologist, statistician or
similar to be involved in the development of a new research centre in
ethnicity and health.  The centre is funded by the Economic & Social
Research Council (ESRC) as part of its new research initiative on
Evidence-based Policy and Practice.  This initiative has the aim of
improving the application of social science research findings by policy
makers and practitioners.

The Centre for Health Services Studies is participating in this
initiative by setting up an inter-university Centre for Evidence in
Ethnicity, Health and Diversity (CEEHD).  This will be developed in
collaboration with the Mary Seacole Research Centre, De Montfort
University and the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, Warwick
University.

The post

CHESS wishes to recruit a Research Fellow who will be located at the
University of Warwick.  We are looking for someone with initiative and
the potential to develop their career as part of this new ESRC
initiative, and who can demonstrate the ability to independently
initiate and undertake high quality research.

The applicant should possess, or be in the process of completing a PhD
or Masters degree, and should preferably have experience of analysis of
large data sets and modelling.  Applicants should also have a good
understanding of research methodology, with the ability to critically
evaluate academic research and an understanding of evaluative research
methods (e.g. clinical trials).  Research experience in the area of
ethnicity and health would be valuable, but is not essential.
Experience of systematic reviews is desirable, but again is not
essential since training will be provided.  The post is supported by an
information scientist who is experienced in undertaking literature
searches.

The post-holder will be located within the Centre for Health Services
Studies, which contains an active and expanding team of academics drawn
from several disciplines including statistics, health economics, social
sciences, clinical research and psychology and a range of professions.
You will be working in a supportive research environment, and it is
essential that you are someone who wishes to work collaboratively with
others.

The Centre for Evidence in Ethnicity, Health and Diversity (CEEHD).

CHEED is a facility which currently exists nowhere else in the UK or
Europe.  Its purpose is to gather evidence on the effectiveness,
appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of health and non-health sector
policies and programmes for ethnic minorities.  It will also evaluate
available research evidence relevant to the organisation and delivery of
ethnically-sensitive and appropriate services for health, social care,
and other sectors.  In addition, it will (where required by users)
synthesise research evidence on factors which are important influences
on health in ethnic communities.  The researcher appointed at Warwick
will work closely with policy makers, practitioners and users in
developing the work of the new centre.

CHEED will be located in two academic centres geographically close to
one another and with an established research relationship.  The main
activity will be based at the University of Warwick in the Centre for
Health Services Studies; this will include the research fellow post
being advertised and an information scientist.  Staff based in CHESS
will be supported by a statistician in the Centre for Research in Ethnic
Relations (CRER).  CRER will also provide support through its Resources
Centre, and the work of its ESRC-funded project to develop "A Web-based
Guide to Resources in Ethnic Relations".  The activity at Warwick will
be closely linked to the Mary Seacole Research Centre (MSRC) at De
Montfort University, Leicester which specialises in issues of ethnicity,
race and social exclusion, as well as nursing research - where a second
qualitative research fellow (under the direction of Professor Mark
Johnson) will be based.  Academic links between Warwick and Leicester in
the area of health have been substantially strengthened recently
following the establishment of the new Joint Leicester-Warwick Medical
School.

The Directors of the new ESRC Centre will be Professor Ala Szczepura
(Director of CHESS) and Professor Mark Johnson (Associate Director of
MSRC).

A network of six other centres concerned with different aspects of
"evidence based policy" (the co-ordinator for which is based at Queen
Mary College, London has been established.  Links are being developed
with these other centre, including the MRC Social & Public Health
Sciences Unit, Glasgow ((Dr Mark Petticrew), the University of Lancaster
(Professor Hilary Graham), and the University of York (Professor Sally
Baldwin and Professor Trevor Sheldon).  It is anticipated that these
links will be strengthened through collaborative work as the research
programme develops.

Informal enquiries about the post may be made to Professor Ala
Szczepura, Director of CHESS, on [44] [0] 24 7652 2958 or email
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Application forms and further particulars are available from the
Personnel Office,
tel [44] [0] 24 7652 3627, fax [44] [0] 24 7652 4583, or from
jobs.ac.uk/jobfiles/AC1123.html
Please quote reference 43/2R/00



Closing date:  22nd June 2001