Post-doctoral Researcher - Mental Health

Post Date : 16-Jan-2026 Close Date : 02-Feb-2026 Job Title: Post-doctoral Researcher - Mental Health Department: CP-Life Research Centre/School of Physiotherapy Reporting to: Dr Jennifer Ryan Location: 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Contract/Duration: Specified purpose contract for 2 years Remuneration: IUA PD1 of the scale Closing Date: Monday 2nd of February 2026 About Cerebral Palsy Lifespan Health and Well-being (CP-Life) Research Centre Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by damage to the immature brain and primarily affects motor skills. CP is the most frequent cause of permanent motor function difficulties in children. People with CP often experience associated impairments such as vision, hearing, cognition, and communication impairments. CP is a non-progressive neurological condition; the brain damage itself cannot be cured and does not change over time. However people with CP may experience changes in their motor skills and complications, such as pain and bone and joint disorders, throughout life. CP-Life Research Centre is located in the School of Physiotherapy in RCSI. The mission of the CP-Life Research Centre is to generate and translate evidence into improvements in services and supports for people with CP through high quality research and innovation. Summary of Post We are seeking to recruit a Post-doctoral Researcher to lead a new 2-year research project to use Experience-Based Co-Design to develop supports to promote mental well-being and improve access to mental health services for children with physical disabilities in Ireland. This project is funded by a Health Research Board (HRB) Applied Partnership Award and aims to support implementation of Ireland’s Sharing the Vision: A mental Health Policy for Everyone. The candidate will lead the project, consisting of three work packages. Work package 1 will explore health professionals’ experiences of mental health support for children with physical disabilities using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Work package 2 will involve working with health professionals, people with disabilities and families to co-produce supports based on their experiences. Work package 3 will investigate readiness for implementing co-produced supports across mental health services, primary care and disability services using an online survey. Additionally, an aim of the project is to evaluate the process of using experience-based co-design, to co-produce supports for young people with physical disabilities. The candidate will also support other projects within CP-Life Centre focused on stakeholder engagement and knowledge translation. Specifically, the duties of the post are: Co-ordinate the project including developing a project plan, obtaining approvals, communicating with project team, organising meetings and workshops Design qualitative study and collect qualitative data through semi-structured interviews Analyse qualitative data Lead co-production involving multiple types of stakeholders Lead Public Involvement and support knowledge translation activities Contribute to the supervision of undergraduate students, postgraduate students and research assistants Support dissemination of research findings including preparing a manuscript for publication and preparing presentations Qualifications – (Essential): PhD in a relevant field (e.g. psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, health services research, social science, public health) Knowledge & Experience – (Essential): Strong communication skills (verbal and written) to engage with all stakeholders Experience of qualitative research Experience of Public Involvement Excellent administrative and IT skills Experience of working on projects with multiple stakeholders Can operate flexibly within a busy environment, shift focus when required, prioritise conflicting demands Ability to work as part of a team Experience of writing reports or research publications Experience of speaking at events and conferences Knowledge & Experience (Desirable): Experience of conducting research with clinical populations Experience of conducting research with children or adolescents Evidence of project and team leadership We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — we’d love to hear from you. Application Process Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal on the closing date with your CV and cover letter. Click here to read our Recruitment and Selection Policy for Researcher. Informal Enquiries: Informal Enquiries can be directed to Dr Jennifer Fortune: jenniferfortune@rcsi.ie All applications for this post must be made through the career's webpage www.rcsi.com/careers. Please note that we do not accept CVs directly. Garda vetting and occupational health review may be required for this role, depending on the nature of the duties and responsibilities. Further information will be provided during the recruitment process. Eligibility to Work in Ireland Visa sponsorship is available for candidates who fully meet the essential criteria of the role. Candidates who require a work permit or hosting agreement are welcome to apply. Proof of eligibility documentation will be required at a later stage in the recruitment process. Please note that sponsorship is subject to approval by the relevant Irish authorities and role-specific eligibility. Click on the link(s) below to view documents Filesize JD_Post-doc Mental Health- CP-Life Research Centre 498.8 Return to Search Apply for Job