Research Associate

Position Details

Health Services Management Centre, School of Social Policy and Society in the College of Social Sciences

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

Part Time hours per week)

Fixed Term contract up to August 2028

Closing date: 1st December 2025

Interview Scheduled: 11th December 2025

Background

To assist in research by carrying out recruitment data collection and associated tasks within an NIHR funded research project – a randomised controlled trial of a digital parent support programme for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: The Digital Family Support study.

The post is situated in the Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS) in the School of Social Policy and Society. IDRIS is an applied cross-University research institute established in October 2024 with the appointment of Professor Richard Hastings as 125th Anniversary Chair and Professor of Psychology Health and Social Care. IDRIS also includes, in Social Policy and Society, three other professorial staff, an associate professor, two senior research fellows, a full time manager, a full time administrator, and a number of research fellows, research assistants, and PhD students. Most staff are employed on/funded through external research grants especially from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Other members of IDRIS are based in Schools and Departments across the Colleges of the University. IDRIS works in close co-productive relationships with people with intellectual disabilities, family carers, and with disability advocacy and professional organisations. IDRIS's research and policy/practice impact is across the lifespan and across sectors (education, health, social care). IDRIS staff are engaged mainly in research on the development and evaluation of interventions and services to support individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families.

This role will be supporting a funded NIHR funded research project – the randomised controlled trial of a digital parent support programme for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: The Digital Family Support study, which is an evaluation of the Stepping Stones Triple P Online programme for parent carers.

Role Summary

• Work within the specified research project of A randomised controlled trial of a digital parent support programme for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: The Digital Family Support study
• Operate within area of specialism

Main Duties

• Collect research data; participant recruitment and data collection
• Contribute to the preparation of research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example for seminars and as posters
• Develop or adapt techniques, models and methods
• Provide support as required to staff and any students who may be assisting with research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research project objectives or deadlines
• Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research project
• Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Honours degree (minimum upper second) in Psychology
• Understanding of research methods including quantitative methods and quantitative data collection and analysis
• Experience working with families who have a child with intellectual disabilities
• Ability to work as part of a team with other researchers
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels and with parents carers of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities
• Highly organised, with the ability to remain self-motivated in keeping to project deadlines
• Ability to work on several tasks in parallel and to manage competing demands
• Understanding of equal opportunity issues as they may impact on areas of research content

Desirable Criteria

• Masters degree in Psychology/Health /Social Care or research methods
• Experience of study design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting of research results in externally funded projects
• Experience of using qualitative analysis methods
  Experience working with children with intellectual disabilities, their families and/or carers in a research role

Please ensure your application addresses both the essential and desirable criteria, as these will form the basis of our shortlisting process

Informal enquiries to Kylie Gray, email:

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