The Innovation Design Associate (IDA) will play a key role in the delivery of the SUMIT project (Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology). SUMIT is an interdisciplinary, cross-border research initiative supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme and managed by the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB). The postholder will be employed by the University of Strathclyde and work as part of Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI).

The IDA will support DHI to deliver SUMIT, which is a €6.8 million (£5.7m) funded project which is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). SUMIT aims to support 1,500 people living with addictions and mental health challenges who are currently facing significant barriers to accessing treatment and care. SUMIT is led by Queens University Belfast, with other collaborative partners including Trinity College Dublin, St Andrews University, the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations, and 4 local demonstrators in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

DHI is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to support the development and delivery of SUMIT using design innovation methods which co-develop meaningful digital solutions with stakeholders. As part of a dynamic team of cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary experts, you will play a vital role in the delivery of the SUMIT project which forms part of DHI’s wider innovation portfolio.

The IDA will support DHI’s Design Director and SUMIT Research Fellow and will be located within DHI’s design team. The team’s key role is to ensure people remain at the centre of the innovation process, with lived experience driving change rather than technology alone. The team are experts in bringing insights from participatory design to life through visualisation, collaborative making, prototyping, and simulation. Their approach helps shape future digital health and care products, services, and systems that are grounded in real-world needs and experiences. The postholder will specifically apply design innovation methods and engage with 4 local test bed localities to co-design and develop three new digital interventions aimed at improving access to treatment and care for individuals facing complex mental health and substance use challenges.

The successful postholder will bring experience of working within higher education, health, care or the creative or digital industries—ideally in research, public engagement, technology development or communications—and will bring strong organisational skills and attention to detail to support collaborative, design-led research and innovation. They will demonstrate a high level of personal responsibility, initiative, and sound judgement, with the ability to respond independently to challenges and adapt in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment. Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills are essential, as the postholder will engage confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders across academia, health, care, industry, and the public sector.

The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and developing key stakeholder relationships, having the skills to contribute to robust knowledge exchange networks involving government representatives, professional bodies, industry, academia and key external organisations, supporting a portfolio of ground-breaking research & innovation within the addictions and mental health environment.

The post will be line managed by the Digital Addictions Support Portfolio Lead and work in a matrix management approach with the DHI Design Director and SUMIT Research Fellow.

DHI operate a blended working environment where working from home, traveling to other parts of Scotland, UK and internationally are part of our operating model. Travel within Ireland will be a requirement of this post. The formal base for the post will be the DHI HQ in Glasgow.

Formal interviews for this post are scheduled to be held in October 2025.

For Informal enquiries about the post, please contact Alan Connor, Portfolio Lead for DHI Digital Addiction Support at (alan.connor@dhi-scotland.com).

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