Research Associate - School of Social Policy - 907503 - Grade 6

Position Details

School of Social Policy

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906

Grade: 6

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2026

Closing date: 12th August 2026

Background

We are looking for a motivated undergraduate student to join our team on a fixed-term basis and support our research on NHS staff. This is an exciting opportunity for someone studying a health- or science-related subject to explore a future career in research.

You will be based in the Health Services Management Centre and will work on an NIHR-funded realist evaluation exploring how to prevent and reduce unprofessional behaviour between NHS staff. Unprofessional behaviour (such as incivility, bullying and sexual harassment) negatively impacts staff wellbeing and the clinical care provided to patients. This study aims to understand how and why strategies and interventions to reduce and prevent unprofessional behaviour work, for whom and in what circumstances, in order to produce evidence-based learning for the wider NHS.

The role can be undertaken full-time over 8 weeks or spread over a longer period part-time. You can be a student at any UK university but must be in your penultimate year of study during the internship. Remote working can be supported and funding may be available to support the costs of commuting or temporarily relocating to Birmingham.

Role Summary

You will conduct analysis of qualitative data collected from NHS staff and Trusts (e.g. documents, interview transcripts), with guidance from the supervisory team. There will be scope to explore topics you are interested in, if these align with the study aims. You will have the opportunity contribute to academic journal publications as a co-author and to other research outputs, such as presentations and resources for NHS staff.

You will gain broader experience of applied health research through attending regular team meetings with collaborators from other universities and supporting core study activities such as patient and public involvement. There will be the possibility of attending conferences and other academic events.

Main Duties

• Analyse research data, with supervision
• Contribute to research outputs, including posters, seminar presentations and drafting parts of academic publications
• Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Foster a fair and equitable workplace for all staff

Person Specification

Essential

• Current undergraduate student studying a priority area subject, for example:
  • Nursing or midwifery
  • Allied health professions
  • Pharmacy
  • Biomedical or healthcare science
  • Social care
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics
  • Public health
  • Research methods or data science
  • Another subject related to one of the above.
• In penultimate year of study during the internship.
• Interestin exploring a future research career in health or social care.
• Knowledge of qualitative research methods.
• Effective communication skills.
• Ability to organise time and work independently.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Understanding of the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace.

Desirable

• Experience working, studying or volunteering in a health or social care setting.
• Experience conducting qualitative data collection and/or analysis.

Informal enquiries to Dr Tommer Spence, email: t.spence@bham.ac.uk 

View our staff values and behaviours here

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.