Postdoctoral Researcher – MARIO Study
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Ref. no. NUIG 106-14
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 3 year fixed term contract
position as Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Nursing and Midwifery on an EU Horizon
2020 funded project entitled ‘Managing active and healthy aging with use of caring service
robots’ known as MARIO. The position is full-time.
MARIO addresses the difficult challenges of loneliness, isolation and dementia in older persons
through innovative and multi-faceted inventions delivered by service robots. The effects of these
conditions are severe and life-limiting. They burden individuals and societal support systems.
Human intervention is costly but the severity can be prevented and/or mitigated by simple
changes in self-perception and brain stimulation mediated by robots. The proposal is
coordinated by the School of Nursing & Midwifery and involves 10 research partners from four
other countries; Italy, UK, Greece and Germany. Pilot activities and interaction with caregivers,
older persons and stakeholders are key elements of the project from beginning to finish which
provide a user led design ethos in developing the service robotic. Advances will be made in the
use of semantic data analytics, personal interaction, and unique applications tailored to better
connect older persons to their care providers, community, own social circle and also to their
personal interests. The project seeks to attain EU scientific and market leadership in service
robots with a user driven solution for the major societal challenge of loneliness and isolation in
older people, including people with dementia. The project will run over three years commencing
February 2015.
NUI Galway are leading and coordinating MARIO and the successful candidate will be
responsible for ensuring the successful planning, implementation and operational management
of all aspects of the MARIO study.
Job description
The postholder will be required to take an active role in all aspects of the research. In addition to
the practical research aspects, the successful candidate will be involved in developing research
tools, quality assurance and control, writing reports, bidding for further funding and writing
papers. A key part of the role will be to plan, execute, and finalise projects according to strict
deadlines. The successful applicant will need excellent research and project management skills
and will need to be able to engage successfully with all research partners.
Main duties and responsibilities:
 Refine, in collaboration with the project leader, the scope, goals and deliverables
required to meet the research aims.
 Develop a project plan and associated communication documents for agreement with the
Steering Group.
 Compile data required for comprehensive progress reports, EU reports and
presentations.
 Draft reports as required.
 Develop project website and social media communication mechanisms.
 Manage the day to day operational matters of the project with the support of the project
leader;
 Coordinate work between clinicians and research partners;
 Undertaking field data collection and data analyses as required;
 Recruitment of pilot sites and site management
 Draft ethics as required
 Coordinate interviews, including consent and scheduling.
 Develop data collection tools for use within the project.
 Coordinate the outcome measures for sites, define standard data collection and
reporting procedures
 Co-ordinate the timely delivery of the MARIO intervention;
 Ensure and maintain the quality of all factors involved in the production and development of
the intervention(s)
 Establish and maintain effective and efficient communication mechanisms with
contemporary researchers working across countries on MARIO;
 Undertake and write up literature review work;
 Set up and co-ordinate research meetings;
 Draft research papers as required
 Contribute to the dissemination of information and findings;
 Liaise with project stakeholders on an ongoing basis;
 Undertake data collection and analysis and supervise others undertaking same;
 Prepare presentations for conferences;
 Assist in other reasonable research-related tasks as requested by Dr Casey or that may
be agreed with the research partners
Requirements
 A PhD in nursing, IT or a related field.
 Substantial experience in research
 Evidence of successful project management of complex research projects including
operational management of budget.
 Flexibility in meeting project requirements and in working across multiple projects;
 Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
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Proven track record of ability to meet deadlines, to initiate, plan, organise and deliver
programmes of work
Excellent written and oral communication skills to include substantial experience in report
writing;
Peer review publications;
Capable of working independently and autonomously;
Highly motivated and passionate about developing high quality research;
Skilled at researching project-related issues and products;
Self-motivated with strong attention to detail and quality
Excellent IT skills;
Clearance by Gárda vetting bureau
Informal enquiries may be
dympna.casey@nuigalway.ie
made
to
project
leader
Dr.
Dympna
Casey
at
Salary: €55,000 fixed per annum
Start date: 1st January 2015
Further information on research and working at NUI Galway is available on Research at NUI
Galway
Further information about the School of Nursing and Midwifery is available at
http://www.nuigalway.ie/nursingmidwifery/
TO APPLY:
Candidates are requested to submit a covering letter, CV and the names and addresses of three
and not more than five referees via e-mail (in word or PDF only) to:
Ms. Sheena Connolly sheena.connolly@nuigalway.ie
Please put reference no. NUIG 106-14 in subject line of e-mail when sending your application.
Closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday 5th December 2014.
Interview date: Interviews to be held week 15th December 2014.
National University of Ireland, Galway is an equal opportunities employer.