Postdoctoral Researcher - Primary Care Clinical Trials

RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Organisation/Company RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Department Human Resources Research Field Medical sciences " Cancer research Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 3 Jul 2026 - 23:45 (Europe/Dublin) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Job Title:Postdoctoral Researcher - Primary Care Clinical Trials

Department: General Practice, RCSI

Reporting to:Professor Patrick Redmond

Location:RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin

Contract/Duration:Specified purpose contract, up to 36 months

Remuneration:Up to€48,337 per annum, depending on experience

Closing Date:3rdJuly 2026

AboutPRiCAN

PRiCAN(Primary Care Research into Cancer) is a multidisciplinary research team aimed at enhancing early cancer detection, diagnosis, and outcomes in primary care settings. Beyond the immediate project, you will be part of abroader program of research in primary care and cancer, with opportunities to contribute to trials, observational studies, and multidisciplinary initiatives.

PRiCANintegrates a wide array of research activities, including:

• Developing and testing digital health interventions to improve patient engagement and access to care.
• Exploring the integration of non-invasive biomarkers with the aim of conducting clinical trials to evaluate innovative screening strategies.
• Leveraging data science to assess the utility of general practice data for research and clinical care.
• Engaging with our public and patient involvement (PPI) group to ensure research is grounded in patient needs and experiences.

About the Project

This position is funded through the PIONEER-CRC (Patient-Initiated FIT Pathway for Low-Risk Colorectal Symptoms) study, a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial led by Professor Patrick Redmond withinPRiCAN(Primary Care Research into Cancer), based in the Department of General Practice at RCSI. PIONEER-CRC evaluates whether a patient-initiated faecal immunochemical test (FIT) pathway for adults presenting with low-risk colorectal symptoms can be delivered safely, acceptably, and at scale within Irish general practice. The successful candidate will act as Trial Manager/Study Coordinator, embedded withinPRiCANand working closely withgeneral practices, data and digital partners (e.g.REDCap/Lusciisystems), and governance structures. The role will focus on coordinating trial delivery, ensuring fidelity of the intervention, and supporting the generation of feasibility evidence to inform a future definitive trial.

Opportunities for Career Development

We are committed to supporting the long-term career progression of our team. Candidates will be encouraged and guided to apply for fellowships or other funding opportunities to extend their research, with the potential to secure up to fouradditionalyears of funding.

This role offers a unique opportunity to:

• Build your academic publication record through collaborative research targeting high-impact journals.
• Present findings at international conferences, gaining visibility and recognition in the field.
• Contribute toPRiCAN'sdiverse research portfolio while developing skills in stakeholder engagement, trialdesignand health policy translation.

Summary of Post

The post-holder will lead the day-to-day coordination and delivery of the PIONEER-CRC feasibilitycRCT, ensuring high-quality implementation across participating GP practices. They will oversee recruitment, intervention rollout, data systems, and trial governance processes, while supporting evaluation of feasibility, acceptability, and safetyoutcomes. This is a key role within a flagshipPRiCANtrial, offering the opportunity to contribute to practice-changing research in colorectal cancer diagnosis pathways.

Specifically, the duties of the post are:

• Trial Coordination & Implementation: Coordinate the setup,deliveryand implementation of the trial across participating GP practices; Manage site recruitment and onboarding; Deliver and support practice training and ensure adherence to study protocols.
• Data Systems & Monitoring: Oversee data collection,monitorrecruitment, and ensure compliance with study protocols and governance standards.
• Ethics & Regulatory Support: Prepare and manage ethics submissions, data protectiondocumentationand trial governance materials in line with national and EU regulations.
• Process Evaluation &Substudies: Support delivery of embedded sub-studies, including the SMS reminder SWAT and qualitative interviews with patients and staff.
• Stakeholder & PPI Engagement: Liaise with GP practices, laboratory partners, and digital providers to ensure smooth trial delivery; Engage with Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) contributors to support co-design and evaluation activities.

Qualifications& Experience- (Essential):

• A PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Public Health, Epidemiology, Clinical Research, Health Services Research).
• Experience in coordinating or supporting clinical trials or complex health service interventions.
• Strong understanding of primary care research and/or cancer diagnostics pathways.
• Experience with data collection and management systems (e.g.REDCapor equivalent).
• Excellent organisational, project management, and communication skills.
• Experience with cluster randomised trials or feasibility/pilot studies.
• Knowledge of FIT testing, colorectal cancer pathways, or early cancer diagnosis.
• Experience in implementation science (e.g.process evaluation, fidelity assessment).
• Experience working with digital health tools or remote monitoring platforms.
• Experience in qualitative research or mixed-methods studies.
• Familiarity with health economic evaluation or real-world data linkage (e.g.registry data).

We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please dosubmitan application -we'dlove to hear from you.