Working or studying at the Centre

We are a community of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, united around a core set of values and a commitment to delivering research which changes lives.

People strategy and values

We recognise the value that different skills, work and life experiences and backgrounds bring to our work and community and we are committed to recruiting and retaining people from across the widest range of backgrounds and communities as possible.

Our Centre values

1. Making a difference – improving the health and wellbeing of society
2. Building trust and confidence – growing together
3. Aspiring and inspiring – helping each other to be our best and to do our best
4. Respecting individuality – recognising the different needs and aspirations of every individual
5. Innovating and researching – empowered to be creative in everything we do
6. Leading and collaborating – developing true partnerships (nobody wins unless everybody wins)
7. Protecting integrity and quality – designing, delivering and publishing high impact research through academic and professional excellence
8. Recognising – celebrating success

Applying to work with us

We shortlist strictly to our essential criteria for our roles and therefore it is important to ensure you have addressed these in your application. However, many of the skills and experience we request can be gathered in a variety of different ways and previous work experience and training.

If you think you could do a job, but struggle with some of the criteria, then please contact the recruiter for a discussion about the best way for you to represent your talents in your application.

Qualifications

For many of our jobs we ask for a qualification or equivalent. We generally don’t give you guidance on what would be considered equivalent, but leave it open for you to make the case that what you do have is equivalent. This may be other types of qualification or experience. If in doubt please contact us.

Examples of equivalent qualifications

Undergraduate degree

We are looking for something that represents three years of learning at a graduate level. This can also be achieved by an NVQ level 6. If your life experience has allowed you to undertake a postgraduate degree (like a master’s) without a formal undergraduate degree, then we would also accept this.

Postgraduate taught degree

We are looking for someone who has studied at a postgraduate level, usually for a minimum of one year whole time equivalent (WTE). This can also be achieved by an NVQ level 7. If you have progressed straight from undergraduate degree to a research degree (MD, MPhil or PhD), then we would also accept this.

PhD

Having a PhD or equivalent – we are looking for someone who can evidence that they have developed research skills, taken responsibility for their own research (even if small) and can write for publication, usually for a minimum of three years WTE. This can be evidenced by working as a researcher, planning and conducting research and writing reports and/or academic papers alongside some formal research skills development (which may have come from your undergraduate degree).

Subject specialisms

For some jobs we ask for qualifications in a particular subject (for example statistics) – in this case we are indicating that we are looking for a high level of knowledge in a specific area. If your qualification (or equivalent) is not named as being in that area but included a large component of that discipline, then justify that in your application with detail of the content of your qualification.

Experience

For many of our roles we ask for knowledge and experience of working in the highly regulated area of clinical trials.  If you have worked in other highly regulated areas (such as good laboratory practice) then this may substitute and it is still worth contacting us for an informal discussion.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about applying to work for or study within the Centre, please contact us: