University of Birmingham 
United Kingdom, United Kingdom Offer Summary
The University of Birmingham seeks a Research Fellow to evaluate the Head Start into Higher Education Programme, focusing on educational support for care-experienced young people. This part-time role (7.5 hours weekly) is fixed-term until June 2027 with a salary range of £47,389 to £56,535. Responsibilities include conducting original research, developing participant surveys, performing documentary analysis and case studies, and supporting the writing up of results. The candidate must hold a PhD or equivalent in education or social work, with extensive experience researching care-experienced youth. Key duties involve planning research activities, publishing findings, and contributing to knowledge transfer and public engagement. Applications close on November 9, 2026. The university emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, encouraging applicants to demonstrate genuine interest without over-reliance on AI tools.
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Project Description
Position Details
The Department of Education and Social Justice
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606
Grade: 8
Part Time (7.5 hours per week)
Fixed Term contract up to June 2027
Closing date: 9th November 2026
This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.
Background
To create and disseminate knowledge through initiating and conducting original research and through publication, as appropriate to the evaluation of the Head Start into Higher Education programme which focuses on educational support for care experienced young people. This role will involve supporting an existing evaluation through development and delivery of a participant survey, documentary analysis and case study, as well as supporting writing up of results.
Role Summary
- Initiate and conduct original research which has measurable outcomes and is reflected in a growing national and often incipient international reputation
- Plan, design and co-ordinate research activities and programmes
- Contribute to the development of research strategies
- Publish results of own research
- Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities, widening participation, schools outreach or similar activities at Department/School level or further within the University
Main Duties
To plan and carry out research, using appropriate methodology and techniques. This may include, where appropriate to the discipline:
- Pursue personal research including developing research ideas and winning support, including financial support
- Plan, publish and/or execute high quality research
- Project manage research activities, and/or supervise other research staff
- Present high-quality findings in publications and conference proceedings
- Develop novel methodologies and techniques appropriate to the type of research being pursued
- Provide expert advice to colleagues and students within discipline
- Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, and public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University
- Contribute to some administrative activities within the University, typically relating to research
- Apply knowledge in a way that develops new intellectual understanding
- Actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour in line with university policies
- Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document.
Person Specification
- A PhD relevant to the research area (or near completion), or equivalent PhD- level qualifications
- Extensive research experience and scholarship with respect to the fields of education and social work, to include research with care experienced young people
- Experience and achievement reflected in a growing reputation
- Extensive experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high quality results
- Extensive experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods
- Extensive experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity
- Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action
- Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills and experience document.
Informal enquiries to Ian McGimpsey, email: I.McGimpsey@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.
