The Post
The Research Assistant will support the delivery of the UK Centre for implementing evidence in adult social care - Improving Adult Social Care Together (IMPACT). They will work closely with Professor Louise McCabe, Deputy Director Evidence and Evaluation. This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting and innovative Implementation Centre funded by the ESRC and the Health Foundation to improve social care outcomes by implementing evidence-based practice in the sector across all four UK nations. The post holder’s core responsibilities will be with the review of evidence to support change; internal evaluation of the centre’s projects and support for national work in Scotland.
IMPACT is an ‘Implementation Centre’, drawing on knowledge gained from different types of research, the lived experience of people using services and their carers, and the practice knowledge of social care staff. Its aims are to enable practical improvements on the ground, and make a crucial contribution to longer-term cultural change, by:
- Supporting more widespread use of evidencein adult social care, leading to better care practices, systems and outcomes for people who use services, their families and communities;
- Building capacity and skills in the adult social care workforce to work with evidence of different kinds to innovate, improve care and deliver better outcomes;
- Facilitating sustainable and productive relationships between the full range of adult social care stakeholders to co-create positive change/innovations and improve outcomes for people using adult social care and their families;
- Improving understanding of the factors which help and hinder the implementation of evidence in practice, and using this to overcome longstanding barriers to positive change.
More information about IMPACT can be found here: https://more.bham.ac.uk/impact/
IMPACT is led from the University of Birmingham, with multiple partners across the UK. Stirling is the lead Scottish HE partner and the role is located in Stirling alongside the Deputy Director Evidence and Evaluation, Professor Louise McCabe. The role holder will report to Professor McCabe. Their role will also involve working with multiple staff across the UK who are delivering local projects and also with the central IMPACT team located at the University of Birmingham.
Description of Duties
- Supporting monitoring and evaluation activities across the Centre, in accordance with the Theory of Change and evaluation protocols
- Undertaking evidence reviews
- Promote equality and value diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
- Ensuring quality of evidence assessment and translation for practice
- Supporting staff to implement evidence protocols and procedures across IMPACT
- Synthesising and reporting on monitoring and evaluation data from across IMPACT
- Planning and contributing to academic and other publications arising from evidence review and evaluation
- Delivering academic workshops to build theory/key concepts from IMPACT’s practical work on the ground
Essential Criteria
Qualifications
- Educated to MSc level or above in a relevant discipline (or research and knowledge exchange experience to a demonstrated equivalent level)
Knowledge and Experience
- Experience of supporting relevant original research and high-quality publications, including outputs of excellent standing
- Experience of involvement in relevant evaluation research in adult social care
- Experience of undertaking quantitative data analysis
- Understanding of evidence reviewing for implementation
- Ability to engage with policy and practice in adult social care
- Commitment to engaging with lived experience and practice knowledge in adult social care, and to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
Desirable Criteria
- Professional qualification in adult social care
- Experience of research or practice in adult social care
- Experience of co-production in research and knowledge exchange
Additional Information
Part time (50%FTE)
Fixed term for 16 months
Grade 6: £31,236 - £37,694 p.a. pro-rata
The closing date for applications is midnight on Tuesday 28 July 2026
Interviews are expected to take place on Tuesday 11 August 2026.
There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.
This role is not eligible for sponsorship. Applicants require to have existing right to work in the UK.
The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.
Behaviours and Competencies
The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.
- Managing self and personal skills
Being aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
- Delivering excellent service
Providing the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
- Finding solutions
Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
- Embracing change
Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
- Using resources effectively
Identifying and making the most productive use of resources including people, time, information, networks and budgets.
- Engaging with the wider context
Enhancing your contribution to the organisation through an understanding of the bigger picture and showing commitment to organisational values.
- Developing self and others
Showing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
- Working together
Working collaboratively with others in order to achieve objectives. Recognising and valuing the different contributions people bring to this process.
- Achieving Results
Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done.
About Us
Faculty of Social Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) is an integrated multi-disciplinary team of academic and professional support staff with research and teaching interests in sociology, social policy, criminology, education, housing studies, social work, ageing and dementia. Working collaboratively with students, staff and stakeholders, the Faculty provides high quality undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as professional development in all these areas through our interdisciplinary links across the University and beyond. We have a sustained successful research record and in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, 88% of our research was assessed as internationally excellent or world leading, with the top 34% of our work judged as world leading in Social Work and Social Policy.
In addition to teaching, social scientific research is undertaken in the Faculty in the: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research; Centre for Child Well-being and Protection; Centre for Environment, Dementia and Ageing Research; Education Theory/Practice; Public Services and Governance; Social Surveys and Social Statistics; and The Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research.
Full information about the Faculty can be found here: https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/social-sciences/
The University
The University of Stirling is committed to providing education with a purpose and carrying out research which has a positive impact on communities across the globe. Driven by our mission to be the difference, we are addressing real issues, providing solutions, and helping to shape society.
The University has more than 17,500 students globally and employs 1,500 staff, with more than 140 nationalities represented within our community. Our campus environment is ranked first in the UK and top 10 in the world, and our sports facilities rank first in the UK and second in the world (International Student Barometer 2024, wave two), reflecting our long-standing designation as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.
We were shortlisted for University of the Year 2024 at the Times Higher Education Awards and are proud holders of a Silver institutional award from the Athena Swan Charter, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality. We have an overall five-star rating in the QS Stars University Ratings and are ranked top 30 in the UK for postgraduate teaching and learning (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024). In recognition of our excellence in business education, we are accredited by AACSB International.
Eighty-seven per cent of our research has an outstanding or very considerable impact on society, with more than 80% rated either world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021), and we are ranked among the top 100 institutions in the world for our contribution to meeting 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. We have twice been recognised with a Queen's Anniversary Prize; for our Institute for Social Marketing and Health (2014) and our Institute of Aquaculture (2019).
Alongside partners, the University spearheads the £214 million Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal – which will deliver three major University-led projects: the National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub, Scotland’s International Environment Centre, and the Intergenerational Living Innovation Hub. We are also a central partner in the Forth Valley University College Health Partnership.
www.stir.ac.uk @stiruni
Job Reference: FAC02129
