Current vacancies
Peer Researcher – COMBINER study
The McPin Foundation
Type: 2 years fixed term contract
Location: Working remotely and at the University of Birmingham
Salary: Starting from £30,437 per annum (£12,174.80 pro rata 0.4 FTE)
Hours: Part time (15 hours per week)
Are you interested in working on research focused on bipolar that champions lived experience? Do you have experience of research methods and facilitating involvement in research?
We are looking for a peer researcher who has a first-hand understanding of bipolar to help us deliver the COMBINER project. This is an opportunity for someone with a personal history of bipolar themselves, either as a service user or carer for someone with bipolar who is looking to gain experience in public involvement and conducting peer research in a mental health trial. They will have an interest in public involvement in mental health research and a good understanding of research principles, perhaps through university studies. The post will involve working alongside both young people and adults with lived experience of bipolar, as well as NHS clinicians and university-based academics.
This project is specifically located at the University of Birmingham with the COMBINER trial team (the post-holder will be seconded to work with them) led by Professor Steven Marwaha. COMBINER is a two-year study comparing three treatments for bipolar disorder: lithium alone, quetiapine alone, and lithium plus quetiapine together. We want to find out whether taking both medications helps people stay well for longer than taking just one. The trial has been funded by the National Institute of Health Research, and we have recently started recruiting participants.
Our team is committed to transforming mental health research through collaboration, inclusion and a belief in equity and anti-oppressive behaviour. We strongly encourage applications from Black people, People of Colour, people who are LGBTQIA+, those with a disability and those who identify themselves in marginalised groups, as well as people with lived experience of mental health issues.
We offer benefits including a competitive salary, hybrid/flexible working, a NEST Pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, wellbeing support and mentoring scheme, an individual training budget and access to an Employee Assistance Programme and healthcare cash plan with Hospital Saturday Fund. You can find out more about us at www.mcpin.org.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 6th January 2026, 9 am. Interviews will take place on the week commencing 19th January 2026.
To apply, please click on the button below to download an application form.
Why work at McPin
Here are just a few reasons to join the team.
- Pension scheme with NEST with an employer contribution of 6%, and a choice of funds including an ethical and Sharia fund
- A longstanding organisational commitment to wellbeing at work
- Mentoring scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 helpline and up to eight counselling sessions if needed
- Sick pay commensurate with length of service, up to 16 weeks full pay and 16 weeks half pay after five years
- Access to external advice and support through Occupational Health and Access to Work
- Specsavers eye test vouchers
- Annual employee wellbeing survey (but feedback is welcome anytime)
- Induction programme with introduction to our mission and values, as well as the McPin team. Programme also includes training courses in safeguarding and lived experience at work
- Individual training budget for all core staff, which can be spent on courses, webinars, workshops, conferences or other training opportunities relevant to you
- Access to McPin internal training sessions and external speakers programme
- Social groups including presentation club, book club and a meditation group
- Annual leave of 25 days plus bank holidays, with extra days given in your third, fourth and fifth year, up to a maximum of 28 days plus bank holidays
- Hybrid working as standard, with our office near Bethnal Green/Cambridge Heath available with bookable meeting room allowance
- Flexible working options with ability to set working hours that suit you around our core hours of 10am-4pm
- Ability to apply for sabbatical/extended leave after two years with us
Disability confident
The McPin Foundation has signed up to Disability Confident Scheme. As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we have committed to ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. We offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as required and support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long–term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.
Nothing catch your eye?
You can still contribute to mental health research – just visit our Get Involved page to check out our lived experience involvement and participation opportunities. No research experience needed!
