Job Description
Position Details
Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, 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 £41,421.
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to December 2025
Closing date: 3rd February 2025
Background
To contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within an established research programme and/or specific research project.
We are looking to appoint a Research Fellow with strong qualitative methodology skills to work on the NIHR RfPB funded 'The TEAMS Study' which aims to address inequalities in the management of asthma amongst British South Asian adults by developing the content for culturally supportive and culturally targeted interventions. The candidate will be based with Professor Mamidipudi Thirumala Krishna, Chair of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Global Health within the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy. The successful candidate will be working within a multi-disciplinary team including Respiratory Physicians, Clinical Allergists and Immunologists, Health Psychologists, Health Policy Management experts and patient and public involvement advocates.
Role Summary
1. Work within specified research grant and project and contribute to manuscript writing
2. Operate within area of specialism
3. Conduct interviews with South Asian patients with asthma and health care professionals delivering care to identify facilitators/barriers to asthma self-management and inform intervention development
4. Apply theoretical modelling to create a set of guiding principles for supportive intervention design and map its content to behaviour change techniques and develop a logic model
5. Iteratively draft and refine supportive intervention content with key stakeholder involvement
6. Analyse and interpret research findings and results
7. Day-to-day management of research study
8. Carry out relevant duties to meet requirements of Good Clinical Practice and Research Governance Framework with respect to maintenance of investigator site folder, liaison with research ethics committee, research study documents, data management, quality assurance and data analysis
9. Maintain liaison with patient and public involvement and engagement membership and patient partners
10. Dissemination of study results
Main Duties
1. Contribute to study protocol and patient facing documents and secure regulatory approvals and further liaison regarding study amendments
2. Recruitment of research participants including written informed consent
3. Conduct interviews/focus groups with patients and healthcare professionals and analyse data as per study protocol
4. Maintain quality assurance
5. Maintain investigator study folder and carry out day-to-day responsibilities to deliver the study as per expectations of the sponsor and host NHS organisation
6. Analyse and interpret data
7. Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
8. Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
9. Undertake management/administration duties arising from research
10. Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
11. 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
12. Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
13. Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
14. Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
15. Post holder will report to Professors Krishna, Mansur and Knibb
16. Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
Person Specification
1. First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications (essential); PhD (or near to completion) in psychology or behavioural science or related field (desirable)
2. Experience of conducting qualitative studies (specifically utilising interviews and focus groups) and undertaking analysis (specifically reflexive thematic analysis)
3. Firm grasp of behaviour changes techniques (e.g., Behaviour Change Wheel and COM-B Model and Normalisation Process Theory)
4. Emerging record of publishing in peer review journals
5. Experience of obtaining NHS and HRA regulatory approvals
6. Ability to build rapport quickly with patients and health care professionals
7. Ability to write and present clearly and concisely
8. Excellent communication and organisational skills
9. Ability to work independently, as well as proven ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary research team
10. High level analytical capability
11. Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
12. Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
13. Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
14. Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
15. Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
16. 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
Essential:
1. MSc in Research Methods, Health Psychology or related discipline
2. Understanding of Person-Based Approach
3. Experience in conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups and thematic analysis
4. Valid Good Clinical Practice certificate prior to commencement of the post
Desirable:
1. PhD (or near to completion) in Health Psychology or related field with experience in qualitative research
2. Understanding of the development of logic models
3. Understanding of allergy and asthma
4. Experience of working with South Asian population previously
5. Ability to speak second language (e.g., Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bengali or Gujarati)
Further particulars can be found here
Informal enquiries to Lisa Powell, email: l.h.powell@bham.ac.uk
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.
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