Research Fellow - Department of Applied Health Sciences - 107167 - 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

Grade: 7

Part Time (18.75 hours per week)

Fixed Term contract up to August 2026

Closing date: 31st March 2026

Background

We are seeking to appoint an experienced qualitative researcher to take on the ongoing IMPACT1D study.This is due to the original post-holder moving to a new role. 

The post holder will contribute significantly to the goals of the IMPACT1D study which will be to understand what the barriers are to research participation and how to increase research engagement in Type 1(T1D) studies in young people from underserved communities.

The post holder will benefit from the infrastructure and expertise in qualitative research, health economics and ethics that is available in Birmingham as well as collaborating centres in London and Glasgow. 

The post is funded for up to 6 months (50% WTE) with a plan to extend this up to 12 months. 

They will be located in the Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham. The post offers an exciting opportunity to work within an internationally leading, multi-disciplinary research team of clinicians, patient public members and world leading experts from UK and European universities with expertise in, clinical research, health services research, psychology, public health and general practice, medical sociology and health economics. Specifically they will be working with Dr Renuka Dias, Dr Ian Litchfield and Professor Sheila Greenfield in Applied Health Sciences.

The University of Birmingham is a signatory to the Researcher Development Concordat which means we will endeavour to support the post holder to develop their research career, including through 10 days of dedicated development time per year’ (pro rata).

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 
• Contribute to generating funding 
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• 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
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
• 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

• First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• 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

DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Dr Renuka Dias, email: r.dias.1@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.