Research Fellow - Department of Applied Health Sciences - 107114 - Grade 7

Position Details

Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health 

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822.

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to February 2029

Closing date: 12th April 2026

2 positions available

Background

We are seeking applications for two grade 7 full time research fellow posts to work on an NIHR funded project. The project aims to map and evaluate Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (LEROs) that support people in recovery from drug or alcohol dependence in England and it comprises 4 work packages (national survey, realist synthesis of the literature, realist evaluation based on LERO case studies and Delphi study to prioritise outcome measures). https://www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR174454

The posts will be based at the Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham and will work with a cross-organisation research team from the University of Birmingham (Department of Applied Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health/Department of Psychology, Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, Health Services Management Centre), the University of Loughborough (Department of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy) and Recovery Connections which is a LERO based in the North East of England. 

The successful candidates will have the opportunity to work across the four work packages depending on need, skills and experience. We aim to build a team with complementary expertise to deliver the project effectively. Case study work will involve collecting data at sites across England and therefore may require some travel and overnight stays. The work will be conducted with academics, other research fellows, a lived experience advisory panel and a stakeholder panel to co-produce research outputs. We particularly encourage people with lived experience of recovery from addiction/mental health to apply. 

Role Summary

• To lead/contribute to the day to day delivery and dissemination of four work packages based on need, skills and experience:
  • A national survey of Local Authorities and LEROs 
  • A realist synthesis of the literature to generate initial programme theory of how, why and in what contexts LEROs are effective 
  • A realist evaluation of LERO case studies
  • A stakeholder and Delphi study to prioritise outcome measures
• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all as outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and protocols for research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Lead on ethics applications where needed
• Collect, analyse and interpret data 
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research 
• Develop and present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, presentation at seminars, conferences and as posters 
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding where appropriate
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration where appropriate
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate 
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

Essential

• Higher degree (PhD, or near to completion, or equivalent) in field relevant to the research area (e.g. psychology, public health, addiction sciences)
• Experience of delivering research projects using method(s) relevant to the research project (e.g. survey, systematic review, qualitative and quantitative methods, Delphi), ideally at a large scale
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Able to independently contribute to the planning and organising of research projects
• Knowledge and/or experience of working with the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery system in England

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of working with realist methods
• Knowledge and experience of conducting or working alongside lived and living experience researchers
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Amanda Farley, email: a.c.farley@bham.ac.uk 

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.