The University of Birmingham is recruiting a Research Fellow in 2026 to join an important clinical research programme focused on improving psychological treatment for people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and anxiety disorders.
The position is based within the University’s Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS), College of Social Sciences, and the successful candidate will work on the BEAMS-ID Trial, a major multicentre clinical trial funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The role is offered at Grade 7 on a fixed-term, part-time basis of 18.75 hours per week. The advertised full-time salary range is £36,636 to £46,049, with potential progression to £48,822 once in post.
Applications are scheduled to close on 21 September 2026, and the vacancy carries Job Reference 107826.
For researchers with experience in clinical trials, health or social care research, intellectual disabilities, statistics, health economics or mixed research methods, this opportunity offers the chance to contribute to research with direct implications for healthcare practice and patient outcomes.
University of Birmingham Research Fellow 2026: Job Overview
Employer: University of Birmingham
Position: Research Fellow
Institute: Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS)
College: College of Social Sciences
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Grade: Grade 7
Job Reference: 107826
Contract: Fixed-Term
Working Hours: Part-Time, 18.75 hours per week
Full-Time Salary Range: £36,636–£46,049
Potential Progression: Up to £48,822
Research Project: BEAMS-ID Trial
Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Advertised: 7 September 2026
Application Deadline: 21 September 2026
The vacancy is currently advertised through jobs.ac.uk and is one of two grades being advertised for the same underlying appointment; the University notes that only one post is available across the Grade 7 Research Fellow and Grade 8 Senior Research Fellow advertisements.
Background & Job Description
The Research Fellow will join the Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS) and contribute to the BEAMS-ID Trial.
BEAMS is a multicentre, two-arm, parallel randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot.
The study is investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an adapted psychological therapy for people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities who experience anxiety disorders.
The intervention had previously been examined through a feasibility study before progressing to this larger trial.
The project is led by Professor Peter Langdon in collaboration with the Cardiff Centre for Trials Research.
This means the successful candidate will be working within a substantial collaborative clinical-research environment involving multiple institutions and research professionals.
What Is the BEAMS-ID Trial?
The BEAMS-ID Trial is particularly significant because people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities can face considerable barriers in accessing psychological therapies that meet their needs.
The research is designed to evaluate an adapted intervention through a rigorous randomised controlled trial.
The study looks not only at whether the intervention produces clinical benefits but also whether it represents an effective use of healthcare resources.
The successful Research Fellow will therefore contribute to research with potential relevance to clinical practice, health services and future treatment provision.
Key Responsibilities
The Research Fellow will help plan, design and coordinate the BEAMS-ID Trial alongside the Cardiff Centre for Trials Research and the project’s Trial Manager.
Responsibilities include contributing to the implementation and management of the research programme while ensuring the project progresses according to agreed objectives.
The successful applicant will also work within specified research grants and projects.
Research Planning and Coordination
The Research Fellow will help plan and organize the research programme and individual research activities.
Because the trial involves multiple researchers and institutions, the Fellow must coordinate their own work with colleagues to avoid duplication or conflicting activities.
Effective research-project management will therefore be an important part of the position.
Data Collection
The position involves capturing data from participants and their families.
Experience working sensitively with people with intellectual disabilities and families will consequently be highly relevant.
Researchers must be capable of collecting accurate data while maintaining appropriate ethical and professional standards.
Data Analysis
The Research Fellow will be expected to analyse and interpret research findings and results.
The person specification particularly highlights knowledge or experience involving advanced statistical methods such as:
- Multilevel modelling
- Linear mixed-effects modelling
- Analysis of clustered data
- Multiple imputation for missing data
These methods are particularly relevant to complex clinical-trial datasets where participants or observations may be grouped at different levels.
Health Economics Experience
Knowledge of health economics analyses within clinical trials is also identified as relevant to the position.
Health-economic analysis helps researchers determine whether an intervention represents good value relative to the health outcomes it produces.
Because the BEAMS-ID Trial is assessing both clinical and cost-effectiveness, candidates who understand economic evaluation within healthcare research may have a particularly relevant profile.
Process Evaluation
The University also seeks candidates with experience or knowledge of process evaluation within clinical trials.
Process evaluations help researchers understand how interventions are delivered, why they may succeed or fail and how implementation varies across settings.
This can complement outcome data and provide a more complete understanding of trial findings.
Research Funding and Academic Development
The role includes opportunities to contribute to the preparation of funding bids.
Successful researchers may therefore participate in developing proposals for future projects and helping generate research funding.
The vacancy also indicates that the Research Fellow will work within their specialist area and contribute to the broader academic research environment.
For an early- or mid-career researcher seeking to build a stronger clinical-research profile, this combination of trial involvement, data analysis, project management and funding-development experience could be particularly valuable.
Qualifications
Candidates should normally possess a first degree in a relevant specialist area.
The University also normally expects applicants to have a higher degree relevant to the research area or equivalent qualifications.
The exact academic discipline is not narrowly specified in the advertisement, meaning candidates should focus on demonstrating how their education and research training align with the BEAMS-ID project.
Research Experience
A particularly important requirement is substantial experience planning and undertaking research.
Applicants should demonstrate success in research and project management resulting in high-quality outcomes.
Experience working on:
Clinical trials and other large research projects
is specifically highlighted.
Candidates who have previously worked on funded health or social-care intervention trials may therefore be particularly competitive.
Experience Working With People With Intellectual Disabilities
The position requires experience working with people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
This is a significant requirement because the trial directly involves this population.
Candidates should therefore use their application to provide concrete examples of relevant professional or research experience rather than making general statements about interest in disability research.
Experience could include clinical research, health services, social care, psychology, disability services or related environments, where relevant to the individual’s background.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Applicants should also have experience using or knowledge relating to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 within research.
This requirement is particularly relevant when research involves participants whose capacity to provide informed consent may require careful assessment and appropriate safeguards.
Candidates should demonstrate their understanding of ethical and legal research responsibilities where applicable.
Analytical Skills
The successful candidate needs a high level of analytical capability.
Clinical trials generate complex datasets and require researchers to interpret evidence accurately.
Applicants should therefore demonstrate their statistical, analytical or methodological competence through previous studies, research employment, publications, research projects or comparable experience.
Knowledge of methods for dealing with missing data is also particularly relevant.
Communication Skills
The Research Fellow must be able to communicate complex information clearly.
Academic research involves communicating with different audiences, including researchers, healthcare professionals, participants, families, funding organizations and potentially policymakers.
Strong written communication is also important when producing research reports, academic publications, grant proposals and project documentation.
Research Methods and Technical Knowledge
Candidates should demonstrate fluency in relevant research models, methods and techniques.
They should also be capable of contributing to the development or improvement of research methods where appropriate.
Particularly relevant technical areas include:
- Clinical-trial methodology
- Quantitative data analysis
- Multilevel modelling
- Linear mixed-effects models
- Missing-data analysis
- Multiple imputation
- Health economics
- Process evaluation
- Health and social-care intervention research
Candidates do not necessarily need identical experience in every area, but their overall research background should demonstrate strong alignment with the project’s requirements.
Research Project Management
Clinical trials require careful coordination.
The successful candidate should have experience planning research activities, monitoring progress and helping projects deliver high-quality results.
They should also understand how to assess resource requirements and use available resources effectively.
Knowledge of broader research management and administrative processes will be valuable.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The University expects candidates to understand the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 and how equality and fairness should be applied within everyday professional activities.
This is particularly relevant within research involving people with intellectual disabilities and potentially other groups who may face barriers or inequalities.
The University of Birmingham states that it values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
It also indicates openness to discussions about different forms of flexible working.
Salary: Important Information for Applicants
The advertised salary range is:
£36,636 to £46,049, with potential progression to £48,822 once in post.
However, candidates should note an important detail.
This figure is described as the full-time starting salary range, while the advertised vacancy itself is part-time at 18.75 hours per week.
Applicants should therefore confirm the actual pro-rata salary that would apply to the 18.75-hour working arrangement during the recruitment process.
Publishing the distinction is important because describing £48,822 simply as the guaranteed salary for the part-time post could mislead applicants.
Fixed-Term Contract
The position is being offered on a fixed-term contract.
Candidates interested in the role should review the complete University job description for precise contractual details, including the expected duration of the appointment.
Fixed-term research appointments are common where positions are associated with externally funded research projects or clinical trials.
Grade 7 and Grade 8 Vacancies
The University is advertising both:
Research Fellow – Grade 7, Job Ref 107826
and
Senior Research Fellow – Grade 8, Job Ref 107812.
However, the advertisement states that there is only one position available across the two advertisements.
This means candidates should pay close attention to the experience and seniority requirements associated with each grade.
The Grade 8 vacancy carries a higher salary range of £47,389–£56,535, with potential progression to £63,606, but represents the more senior version of the appointment.
Who Should Consider Applying?
The Grade 7 Research Fellow opportunity may be particularly relevant to candidates with backgrounds in:
Clinical psychology, psychology research, health sciences, social sciences, disability research, clinical trials, statistics, health economics, health services research, social-care research or related areas.
Applicants should assess their qualifications against the complete person specification rather than relying solely on their degree title.
The strongest candidates will likely be able to demonstrate a combination of research-methods knowledge, clinical-trial experience, project-management capability and experience involving people with intellectual disabilities or related populations.
Why This University of Birmingham Research Fellowship Stands Out
One of the most attractive aspects of the position is the opportunity to contribute to a major NIHR-funded clinical trial.
The role combines several areas of professional development rather than focusing solely on one research activity.
The successful candidate can potentially gain further experience in clinical-trial coordination, participant data collection, statistical analysis, health economics, process evaluation, grant development and collaborative research.
The trial’s focus on anxiety treatment for people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities also gives the research a clear clinical and societal purpose.
For candidates hoping to develop careers in health and social-care research, disability research or clinical-trial methodology, the position provides exposure to a complex multicentre research programme.
How to Strengthen Your Application
Applicants should tailor their application directly to the person specification.
Rather than simply saying that you have research experience, provide specific examples.
Explain the size and type of projects you worked on, what responsibilities you held and what outcomes resulted from your work.
If you have clinical-trial experience, identify your responsibilities within the trial.
Candidates with statistical expertise should specify the methods they have used, particularly if they have experience with multilevel models, linear mixed models, missing-data techniques or multiple imputation.
Relevant health-economic or process-evaluation experience should also be clearly highlighted.
Applicants who have worked with people with intellectual disabilities or their families should explain the context and responsibilities involved while respecting confidentiality.
Informal Enquiries
The vacancy identifies Professor Peter Langdon as the contact for informal enquiries regarding the position.
Candidates with genuine questions about the research project or role can use the contact details contained in the official job advertisement.
However, applications themselves should be completed using the University’s specified electronic recruitment process.
How to Apply
Candidates should review the full job description and person specification before submitting an application.
Applications should be made electronically through the official recruitment route linked from the vacancy advertisement.
Applicants should ensure their supporting information clearly addresses the requirements of the role, particularly:
- Research and project-management experience
- Clinical-trial experience
- Statistical and analytical skills
- Experience working with people with intellectual disabilities
- Health or social-care research experience
- Communication skills
- Relevant higher-degree qualifications
- Knowledge of appropriate research methods
The University of Birmingham also maintains an official research-jobs section directing prospective researchers to its current vacancies and research opportunities.
Application Deadline
Applications for the University of Birmingham Research Fellow, Job Reference 107826, are scheduled to close on:
21 September 2026.
The vacancy was placed on 7 September 2026.
Candidates should submit their application ahead of the deadline to reduce the risk of technical problems or incomplete documentation.
Final Thoughts
The Become a University of Birmingham Research Fellow 2026: Earn Up to £48,822 on a Major Intellectual Disabilities Clinical Trial opportunity provides an attractive route for researchers interested in clinical trials, disability research, psychology, health services and social-care research.
Based within the Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute, the successful candidate will contribute to the NIHR-funded BEAMS-ID Trial, investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of adapted psychological therapy for people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities who experience anxiety disorders.
The role combines clinical-trial coordination, participant and family data collection, research analysis, project management and opportunities to contribute to future research funding.
The vacancy is part-time at 18.75 hours per week and fixed-term.
Its published full-time salary equivalent is £36,636 to £46,049, with potential progression to £48,822, so applicants should verify the actual pro-rata salary applying to the part-time appointment.
Applications close on 21 September 2026.
Prospective candidates should consult the complete official job description before applying and make sure their application directly demonstrates how their education, research experience and technical skills match the person specification.
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