Clinical Research Fellow in Clinical Ageing Research Unit(CARU)(CT1-2)

NHS; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in the UK is offering a one-year Clinical Research Fellowship focused on movement disorders. The role involves participation in clinical trials, hands-on experience, and potential advancement to MD or PhD. Candidates should possess a MBBS and relevant clinical research experience. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to further their academic careers in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Commitment to education and teaching

Qualifications

• MBBS or equivalent medical qualifications required.
• Full GMC registration at the time of application is necessary.
• Previous experience in clinical research is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Act as an investigator in clinical trials and support specialist clinics.
• Recruit and consent trial participants adhering to ethical standards.
• Perform lumbar punctures and manage trial participants efficiently.

Skills

Good history & examination skills

Skilled in performing lumbar punctures unsupervised

Previous experience in clinical research/clinical trials

Ability to communicate well with patients and colleagues

Education

MBBS or other recognised equivalent medical qualifications

Full GMC registration

MRCP or equivalent

Job description

Clinical Research Fellow in Clinical Ageing Research Unit(CARU)(CT1-2)

The closing date is 08 January 2026

We are delighted to offer a one-year Clinical Research Fellowship within our Movement Disorders team, as the Newcastle Movement Disorders Clinical Fellow. This unique role provides hands‑on involvement in internationally recognised clinical trials, including the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), alongside opportunities to develop procedural skills and gain exposure to specialist clinics. You will work closely with experienced neurologists and researchers, with mentorship and support to initiate your own research project. For the right candidate, this fellowship can evolve into an MD or PhD and serve as a foundation for an academic or specialist career.

This post is to commence as soon as possible for 12 months.

In addition to the challenges of the role, we can offer you a commitment to teaching, education, research and audit.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Main duties of the job

To act as an investigator in the PPMI study and other academic or commercial clinical trials, while supporting specialist movement disorder clinics. The role combines clinical responsibilities with research activities, offering the opportunity to develop procedural skills, contribute to high‑impact studies, and initiate your own research project under expert supervision.

For an informal discussion and further information regarding the opportunity and Directorate, please contact: Dr David Ledingham [e-mail] or Prof Nicola Pavese [e-mail] or Dr Sahana Sathyanarayana [e-mail]

About us

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion. We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.

We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic disorders.

Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under‑represented groups.

Job responsibilities

Clinical:

• Participate as an investigator in PPMI and other investigator‑led or commercial clinical trials.
• Recruit and consent patients/participants, ensuring adherence to ethical and regulatory standards.
• Provide clinical management of trial participants.
• Support Clinical Research Nurses and Trial Assistants in delivering high‑quality care.
• Perform lumbar punctures and skin biopsies.

Administrative:

• Maintain accurate study documentation in line with Good Clinical Practice.
• Communicate effectively with participants, research teams, sponsors, and regulatory bodies.
• Contribute to study setup, including REC applications and approvals.

Research:

• Initiate and deliver a research project aligned with your interests and the unit's priorities.
• Engage in data analysis, manuscript preparation, and presentation of findings at meetings or conferences.

Flexibility:

In line with the Trust's core value of placing patients at the heart of everything we do, we are developing our service provision to be responsive to the needs of our patients. To meet those needs some staff groups will be increasingly asked to work a more flexible work pattern so that they can offer services in the evening or weekend. As a result any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern or working in the future if required, including evening and weekend work.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• MBBS or other recognised equivalent medical qualifications
• Full GMC registration at the time of application
• MRCP or equivalent
• MRCP Part 1 or equivalent
• Other relevant qualifications (ALS). Distinctions, scholarships, prizes, BSc (or equivalent).
• Good Clinical Practice certificate

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

• Good history & examination skills
• Able to formulate a working diagnosis
• Able to order appropriate investigations.
• Skilled in performing lumbar punctures unsupervised
• Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague.
• Image interpretation relevant to practice
• Previous experience in clinical research/clinical trials
• Additional experience in Neurology or allied Neuroscience specialities

Management and Administration Experience

• Ability to run a service and participate in management process
• Committed to share in professional, managerial and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate to the Trust and its workforce
• Able to communicate well with patients and colleagues
• An understanding of Clinical Governance
• Proven management and administration ability
• Understanding of management goals
• Experience with audit
• Evidence of leadership / project management
• Evidence of having implemented change

Teaching

• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Ability to teach clinical skills.

Clinical Governance, Audit and Research

• Experience of audit projects

Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues

• Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team
• Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines

Personal Attributes

• Alignment with the Trust's Values.
• Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development
• A commitment to personal / unit CPD.
• Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality
• Evidence of leadership skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust