Oxford Brookes University and Think Through Nutrition have been awarded £1.8m in funding to deliver the Brain Boost trial - a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effect of nutritional supplementation on wellbeing and violent and aggressive incidents among children and young people in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). They are recruiting 6 Research Assistants (RAs) to support delivery of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among young people in custody. RAs will be embedded within two Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and will play a central role in participant recruitment, informed consent procedures, daily observed administration of food supplements/placebo, adherence monitoring, data collection, safeguarding vigilance, and contribution to the implementation and process evaluation.

The postholder will operate within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HMPPS security frameworks and Good Clinical Practice standards, maintaining an equity-informed, trauma-aware and culturally responsive approach to engagement. The RA role does not involve custodial authority or disciplinary responsibility. The successful applicants will be required to undergo a DBS check and Ministry of Justice and HMPPS vetting and security clearance procedures prior to commencing site-based work.