Research Fellow - School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences - 107811 - Grade 7 in Birmingham

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

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2028

Closing date: 6th September 2026

Background

To create and contribute to a funded research project by undertaking investigations of the neural mechanisms and therapeutic effects of a novel neuromodulation intervention in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Role Summary

The post holder will work 5 days per week for 23 months (37.5 hours/week; 100% FTE), with an estimated start date of 1st October, subject to right to work checks, DBS clearance, and permissions to access partner NHS sites. The post holder will play a central role in the successful delivery of investigations of the neural mechanisms and effects of combined abdominal functional electrical stimulation (AFES) and upper-body exercise on motor, respiratory, and autonomic function in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). The post holder will lead on the investigations, including study design, participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, delivery of the intervention, and day-to-day management of study activities. The role requires someone who enjoys working closely with people, has an interest in neurophysiology, neuromodulation, and health, and is comfortable engaging with participants with neurological conditions in community, home, and online settings. The post holder will conduct research assessments in our laboratories at the University of Birmingham, at participants’ homes, and at NHS sites in England. The post will be expected to be based at the University of Birmingham and travel to participants’ homes and NHS sites when needed. In addition, they will be expected to be flexible to accommodate participants’ needs for attending the intervention sessions.

Main Duties

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a project leader/mentor if required
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Analyse and interpret electrophysiological and behaviour data
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc; this includes writing draft manuscripts and preparing figures and images
• 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
• 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
• Foster a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
• Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures

Person Specification

• A PhD relevant to the research area (or near completion), or equivalent PhD level qualifications.
• High level analytical capability in the area of electrophysiology and electromyography.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques (e.g., TMS, EMG, respiratory measurements, functional electrical stimulation) or quantitative methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones.
• Ability to perform signal processing using computational software (e.g., Matlab) and statistical analysis using appropriate software (e.g., SPSS, R) at a proficient level (e.g., Matlab).
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes, including HRA research ethics approval and modifications.
• 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 and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

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.

Informal enquiries to Shin-Yi Chiou, email: s.chiou@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.