Research assistant jobs in Islington, greater london

About The Role
Every breakthrough in dementia research starts as an idea. But ideas only change lives when they are understood, shared and championed.
At Alzheimer’s Society, we are funding over £50 million in pioneering research and supporting more than 400 researchers across the UK. Behind every project is a story. Your role will be to help bring those stories to life in ways that are clear, engaging and accessible.
As a Research Communications Assistant, you will join our Research Communications team within the Research and Innovation department, reporting to the Research Information Manager. You will work across teams to make sure our research is understood, valued and impactful.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in research and communications. If this role interests you but you are unsure you meet every requirement, we would still love to hear from you. We are happy to discuss flexible working and can support adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
What you’ll do
You will play a key role in helping our research reach the right people in the right way. This means not only creating and supporting engaging content, but also helping the team stay organised, connected and forward looking.
You will work closely with colleagues across research, media and engagement, building strong relationships and ensuring our communications are joined up and effective. Some days will be creative, others more operational, but all will contribute to helping people better understand dementia research and why it matters.
You will also help us stay responsive. Whether it is tracking new developments, answering enquiries or preparing for upcoming activity, your work will help the team plan ahead while staying flexible in a fast moving environment.
You can expect to:

- Monitor developments in dementia research and share insights with colleagues
- Turn complex information into clear, engaging content across web, social media, press and events
- Respond to enquiries from internal teams, external partners and media
- Support the planning and delivery of events, including conferences and research talks
- Work with researchers and colleagues to gather quotes, images and other materials
- Prepare briefings, presentations and reports
- Maintain workload trackers and support team planning
- Collaborate across teams to deliver joined up communications and maximise impact

This role may involve occasional travel, including overnight stays, with support provided.
About you
You are organised, curious and motivated by meaningful work. You enjoy making complex ideas easier to understand and working with a wide range of people.
You do not need to meet every point below to apply.

- Strong organisation skills and excellent attention to detail
- Interest in or experience of science, health or policy, with curiosity about dementia research
- Ability to work with a range of stakeholders to deliver shared goals
- Experience in a fast paced environment, ideally in communications, though not essential
- Ability to communicate complex information in clear, accessible ways

You will also bring a collaborative, inclusive mindset and a willingness to learn.
This is an opportunity to help shape how research is shared and understood, and to play a part in improving the lives of people affected by dementia.
Interviews are currently planned to take place during the week commencing 11th May via MS Teams.

About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we are working towards a future where dementia no longer devastates lives. That future depends on research that is ambitious, inclusive, and shaped with the people it is intended to serve.
Across our Research and Innovation directorate, we fund and support world leading dementia research. We work with researchers and NHS partners across the UK. We help turn ideas and discoveries into real change for people affected by dementia.
We are committed to a research culture that is collaborative, accessible and grounded in compassion. We value different perspectives. We want everyone to feel respected and heard.
We are now looking for three Assistants to join our team:

- Research Grants Assistant
- Research Engagement and Participation Assistant
- Research Nurse Programme Assistant

These roles sit within our wider Research and Influencing directorate. They each play an important part in delivering well-coordinated and inclusive research activity.
Each role is different. But they share a common purpose. To make dementia research easier to access, better connected, and more meaningful for everyone involved.
We are looking for people who are motivated by purpose. People who care about fairness in how work is done. People who believe inclusion should be lived, not just stated.
What you’ll do
Each of these roles helps make sure dementia research is well organised, accessible and meaningful. This includes people affected by dementia, researchers and partners.
As a Research Grants Assistant, you will help ensure our research funding processes run smoothly and fairly. You will support funding rounds, maintain accurate systems and records, and help coordinate panels, meetings and communications. Your work will help create a clear and supportive experience for researchers and colleagues, from application through to funded delivery. You will also support events and activities that help make our funding processes more transparent and accessible.
As a Research Engagement and Participation Assistant, you will help open up opportunities for more people to learn about and take part in dementia research. You will support engagement activities that reach diverse communities, helping ensure information is clear, welcoming and easy to understand. You will coordinate events and materials that encourage participation in research, support communication across teams, and help us listen to and reflect the voices of people affected by dementia in how we share opportunities.
As a Research Nurse Programme Assistant, you will support a national programme that is helping more people access dementia clinical trials across the UK. You will work with NHS sites, research nurses and colleagues across the UK Dementia Trials Network to support training, communication and coordination. You will help ensure information, resources and learning are shared consistently, and that people involved in the programme feel supported, informed and connected.
Across all three roles, you will:

- Provide reliable and thoughtful administrative and coordination support across research activity
- Maintain accurate, secure and well organised records and systems
- Support inclusive events, meetings, workshops and training sessions
- Communicate with researchers, NHS colleagues, partners and community members in a clear, respectful and accessible way
- Help ensure information is accurate, consistent and easy to understand
- Contribute to improving how we work so that processes are simpler, fairer and more effective for everyone
- Work collaboratively across teams, recognising and valuing different experiences, perspectives and ways of working

About you
We know people come to this work from many different places. You might have experience in research, health, science, policy or administration. You might come from community work, education, caring roles, the voluntary sector, or bring lived experience. You might be returning to work or changing direction. What matters most is how you work, not where you come from. We are looking for people who want to do meaningful work, who are thoughtful, and who bring care and reliability to what they do.

- Comfortable using IT systems, including databases, and open to learning new tools
- Able to work with a wide range of people with respect and care
- Experience supporting events, coordination or engagement work, or transferable skills from other settings
- Able to organise your time and manage multiple tasks with care and attention
- Interest in science, health, policy or research, and how evidence can improve lives and reduce inequality

Together, these roles offer an opportunity to contribute to dementia research that is shaped by inclusion, compassion and collaboration. You’ll be part of a team that values diverse experiences, listens to different voices, and works to make research more accessible and equitable for everyone involved. If you share our commitment to fairness, respect and meaningful impact, we would welcome your application.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society. We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need. To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.