Position Details
College of Medicine and Health
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary 80,400 Euros.
Grade: 7
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 5 years
Closing date: 18th December 2026
There are 6 positions available
Background
The University of Birmingham has received funding from the European Research Council to offer pump-priming postdoctoral fellowship awards to early career researchers to support development of their independent research programme. This new competitive fellowship scheme aims to support high-calibre post-doctoral researchers to develop proposals for submission to prestigious fellowship schemes such as NIHR Postdoctoral Awards, ERC starter grants, Future Leaders Fellowship, Wellcome/MRC Career Development Awards etc. The fellowship aims to boost the competitiveness of the postholder for these externally funded, independent fellowship applications by offering the opportunity to complete key research outputs in progress, develop new skills and/or generation of preliminary data. The postholder will work in a high-quality research environment and will be sponsored by a senior mentor for development of their independent research within the strategic areas of research in the field of STEM.
The awards are open to both internal and external candidates and will provide the Fellow's salary for up to five years, together with research costs. The postholder is expected to application for independent fellowships within the first 36 months of appointment. The MOBILITY Fellowship will continue for up to five years or until the Fellow secures an independent fellowship, whichever occurs sooner. Where an independent fellowship is secured, the MOBILITY Fellow will be expected to transfer to it as soon as reasonably practicable. Upon transfer, the contract associated with the MOBILITY Fellowship will end, and the Fellow will be appointed under a new contract associated with the independent fellowship.
Ensure you uploaded a copy of your CV, application form, motivation letter, and ethics declaration checklist. Templates for all of these can be found on the MOBILITY website (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/college-of-medicine-and-health/research-office/fellowship-academy-for-medicine-and-health/mobility). Please also ensure a letter of support is sent to Tim Giles (t.giles@bham.ac.uk) from your previous supervisor.
Role Summary
- Develop research objectives and proposals for their programme of work, while beginning to establish their independence as a researcher.
- Design and submit a research project for an externally funded research fellowship.
Main Duties
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
- Develop research objectives and proposals for their research, with input from a mentor as appropriate
- Lead or make significant contributions 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
- 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
- A PhD relevant to the research area
- Demonstration of a competitive track record (research outputs, merits) for personal fellowship
- Possession of a research proposal in development, which will be advanced to submission to a funding body in the first year of the appointment
- Demonstration of the ability to utilise the appointment for strengthening your researcher profile towards competitiveness for externally funded fellowship (e.g. completion of research output, complementary skills training and/ or key preliminary data generation for a grant proposal)
- 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
Please see MOBILITY website for full details on how to apply and for the required documents you will need to upload as part of your application. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/college-of-medicine-and-health/research-office/fellowship-academy-for-medicine-and-health/mobility
Ensure you uploaded a copy of your CV, application form, motivation letter, and ethics declaration checklist. Templates for all of these can be found on the MOBILITY website (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/college-of-medicine-and-health/research-office/fellowship-academy-for-medicine-and-health/mobility). Please also ensure a letter of support is sent to Tim Giles (t.giles@bham.ac.uk) from your previous supervisor.
Further particulars can be found here
Informal enquiries to Tim Giles, email: t.giles@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 everyoneon our website.
MOBILITY Research Fellow - College of Medicine and Health - 108056 - Grade 7 in Birmingham employer: The University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that prioritises diversity, inclusion, and professional development. Located in the heart of Edgbaston, Birmingham, employees benefit from a supportive environment that fosters collaboration and innovation, alongside opportunities for personal growth and engagement in cutting-edge research. With a commitment to sustainability and a focus on creating a fair workplace, the University ensures that all staff can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the academic community.
Contact Details:
The University of Birmingham Recruitment Team
