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 £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149
Grade: 7
Full Time (the hiring team are also open to consider Part Time and Job Share applications)
Fixed Term contract up to February 2026
Closing date: 7th April 2025
Background
To create and 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 seeking a Research Fellow to join the AI and Digital Health Research & Policy Group, led by Professor Alastair Denniston, Chair in Regulatory Science and Innovation. Our team focuses on the responsible development and regulation of AI in healthcare, ensuring these technologies are safe, effective, and equitable. We work closely with academic, industry, regulators and policy partners to develop best practices that can be applied internationally.
This role offers the opportunity to contribute to a range of research projects, including:
* Research for national/international regulatory policy in AI, as part of the UoB-hosted national Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI & Digital Health. This involves working with regulators and innovators to build regulatory systems for AI that accelerate innovation whilst ensuring safety and equity.
* Exploring the concept of ‘AI Readiness’ and developing approaches to identify and mitigate ‘unreadiness’, to enable safe deployment of AI health technologies. This includes working with healthcare systems at the local and national level to assess their readiness and prepare for AI adoption.
* Exploring the ‘grey areas’ of AI health technologies, including through evaluating health applications of Large Language Models (Is this a medical device? What is its risk classification? How should it be clinically evaluated?) and the development of a ‘Borderline Manual’ for AI health technologies (with the MHRA).
The successful candidate will work within a collaborative and interdisciplinary team, helping to shape policy and research that supports the safe and effective use of AI in health settings.
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
* Promote equality and value 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 (or close to completion) 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
Further particulars can be found here
Informal enquiries to Alastair Denniston, email: A.Denniston@bham.ac.uk
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