The mental health and well-being of researchers in academia

Applications are invited for a fully funded, full time PhD studentship based at the Division of Psychiatry, UCL and the McPin Foundation. The post is funded for three years from October 2020.
This is an exciting opportunity to undertake a full time PhD in a project jointly funded by the UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership and the McPin Foundation.
The PhD topic is to explore the mental health and well-being of researchers working in academic settings. This will include consideration of both the impact of mental health issues on working in research, but also the impact of working in research on mental health.
The project will include a systematic review of relevant literature; in-depth qualitative ethnographic interviews carried out with a small sample of early career researchers over a 1 year period; and a wider survey of mental health and well-being amongst early career researchers in academic institutions.
The successful candidate will be based mainly in the Division of Psychiatry at UCL, where academic supervision and skills training will take place. The student will also spend one day/week working at the McPin Foundation, where they will have the opportunity to gain experience of research outside of an academic institution and build strong links with other peer researchers.

Key requirements

A masters-level qualification in mental health sciences or mental health research or equivalent is essential. Good qualitative research skills are desirable.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrable interest and commitment to this topic are also essential requirements.
Applications from students with their own lived experience of mental health issues are strongly encouraged.

Further details

If you have any queries regarding this studentship, please contact: Dr Jo Billings at: [Email Address Removed].
Further information about the Division of Psychiatry at UCL is available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/
Further information about the McPin Foundation is available at: https://mcpin.org/

How to apply

Please send the following documents to [Email Address Removed]
• CV, including full details of all University course grades to date and contact details (phone number and email).
• Contact details for two academic or professional referees (at least one academic). References will be taken up for all short-listed candidates.
• A covering letter (500 words maximum) outlining: (i) your suitability for the project, (ii) what you hope to achieve from the PhD, and (iii) your research experience to date.