MSCA Research Fellow

Position Details

Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Fixed salary of £51,602 additional allowances may be applicable depending on circumstances 

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to January 2029

Closing date: 9th December 2025

Background

This is a role to join the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network SHIELD (Strategies for Healing Implant-associated infections and Enhancing Longevity in Devices) and contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at combating implant-associated infections.

Expected start date for the role is 1st February 2026. 

The training objective of the doctoral network is to equip young researchers with scientific, technical, and transferable skills to enhance their employability in academia or industry. Network-wide Training Events will provide complementary knowledge, multidisciplinary experience, and transferable skills: ethics & research integrity, scientific writing, communication & dissemination, leadership, project management, team skills & Networking, IPR & regulatory affairs for medical device certification, business entrepreneurship & innovation, career planning, opportunities, job hunting & interview skills, and grant applications. Secondments at host institutions in the field of IAIs will allow DCs to move between sectors (industry-academia-hospital) and gain valuable experience. Regarding the scientific skills, the PhD student will engage in clinical trials in Ear Nose and Throat and gain experience in translational research, focusing on enhancing the clinical outcome of BCHI by identifying biomarkers associated with infection/inflammation. The PhD student will have a Personal Career Development Plan (PDCP) tailored to the student's needs, detailing the study program, training, research project, secondments, and publication strategies. It will be reviewed every six months.

Research secondments at SHIELD partner institutions:

• University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
• Oticon Medical AB (Sweden)

Participation in specialised training workshops and international conferences.

Role Summary

The PhD student will be involved in Work Package 1 (WP1) of the SHEILD network "Clinical aspects of implant-associated infection" which has the following overall objectives:

• determine the pathogenesis of implant associated infections (IAIs) and adverse tissue response associated with bone conduction hearing implants (BCHI) by evaluating host, bacterial and clinical factors.
• identify determinants and biomarkers for IAI and adverse tissue outcomes associated with bone conduction hearing implants (BCHI).
• optimise preventive clinical practices for reducing the occurrence of diverse tissue reactions and infection.
• improve the clinical management of BCHI with effective diagnostic methods and treatment protocols.

The overall purpose of this research project is to identify biomarkers and develop effective antimicrobial strategies to prevent infection and inflammation related to hearing implants.

This PhD project aims to identify determinants of IAI associated with hearing implants by investigating associations between proteomics, microbial profile and clinical outcome by analysing a large pool of banked biosamples. 

Research activities include:

• Identifying biomarkers (cellular and microbial) determining tissue health following implantation.
• Developing and validating non-invasive sampling and analytical methods which can be applied both in clinical observation (studies and routine care) and in an innovative pathway for personalised preventative care.
• Evaluating the effect of moving treatment from the operating room to a treatment room using a prospective sampling study (proteomics, microbiome, clinical outcome data).
• Investigating associations between surgical technique, treatment location and patient factors.
• Optimisation of treatment of adverse soft tissue reactions by refining postoperative maintenance strategies aiming to develop tailored protocols for the prevention of IAI.

The person taking on the project will need to work closely with the clinical teams and the patients and to do laboratory and computer-based work. A clinical qualification is not a requirement. 

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. 
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in biological, biomedical or clinical sciences or similar.
• Excellent communication skills in English. 
• 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.
• Strong motivation and ability to collaborate in an interdisciplinary and international team.
• 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

The eligibility criteria are: 

• Have not been awarded a doctoral degree. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
• Career Stage: Applicants must be within the first four years (full-time equivalent) of their research careers at the date of recruitment. This is measured from the date they obtained the degree that formally entitles them to pursue a doctorate.
• Mobility Rule: Candidates must not have resided or conducted their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host organization's country for more than 12 months within the three years immediately preceding their recruitment.
• Nationality: Researchers from any country are eligible, including those from non-European countries.

Interested candidates should send an application containing the following documents in English (and, when necessary, a certified translation of official documents):

• Motivation Letter (describing research career goals, skills, experience, and highlighting the consistency between the candidate's profile and the chosen DC position).
• A complete Curriculum Vitae with references to past research and training experiences. 
• Copies of Bachelor and Master's certificates/diploma & academic transcripts.
• Two Reference Letters.
• Publications (if available).

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Assoc. Prof. Melissa Grant, email:

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.