Clinical Research Fellow (Energise Keto-BD) - School of Psychology - 107587 - Clinical

Position Details

School of Psychology

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is £56,763.

Grade: Clinical

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 2 years

Closing date: 25th October 2026

UK Travel may be required for this role

Background

Funded by the Wellcome Trust, ENERGISE-BD is a phase III RCT of a keto-genic diet vs NHS eat well plan for people with bipolar disorder depression. It is being co-led by the University of Birmingham and the University of Edinburgh.

We are seeking to appoint a Clinical Research Fellow to support the delivery of the trial at the Midlands site which is based in Birmingham, working with other key members of the ENERGISE -BD Birmingham and Edinburgh teams, conduct research within a growing team of translational researchers. This position will be of interest to psychiatrists with MRCPsych (or on the path to obtaining it) who are interested in completing research. There will be extensive opportunity to develop skill sets in keeping with academic training and moving towards ACF/ACL posts and/or PhD funding.

The purpose of this job is to play a key role in the recruitment, assessment and follow-up of research participants with bipolar depression. This will involve working with local NHS clinical services and with charitable organisations to publicise the study and to identify potential study participants. The postholder will support the collection of data on past psychiatric history, medication status, family history, current mood and medical history.

The postholder may also contribute to the development of new ideas, approaches, concepts or techniques, to the overall direction and management of this research project, and to publishing or otherwise disseminating the outputs of the research. This is a full-time position, for up to 24 months. There is also opportunity for future application to the Midlands Clinical Doctoral Training Programme in Mental Health Neurosciences.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grant and projects and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results
• Contribute to generating funding
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

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.
• Maintain a high standard of personalised care for all patients, by ensuring that you and team members always act in accordance with GMC guidance.
• Maintain GCP training.
• There is no out-of-hours on-call commitment. The post is offered full-time or part-time (to be agreed), with potential for clinical activity to be discussed in relevant NHS trusts.
• Work in accordance with the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care, the principles of GCP, The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ethical procedures and other local policies and procedures as applicable for the conduct of research.
• Take a lead on raising awareness of this study among clinicians and patients and facilitate the recruitment of individuals with bipolar depression.
• Conduct clinical assessments on individuals with bipolar depression to ensure they fulfil the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation; obtain informed consent from participants.
• Conduct baseline and follow-up assessments of all participants.
• Maintain accurate records of these assessments within a database that can be shared with members of the wider research team.
• Contribute to knowledge exchange and dissemination activities for this project.
• Provide guidance and supervision for postgraduate student projects, as required.

Person Specification

• MBBS/MBCHB or equivalent
• MRCPsych or substantial clinic training in psychiatry as part of a training programme which leads to membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Full General Medical Council Registration with a Licence to Practice.
• High level analytical capability working with multi-disciplinary datasets
• Experience working with biological samples including bloods, saliva.
• 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
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Strong knowledge of Good Clinical Practice
• Requirement for DBS, Occupational Health Check and awareness of the Data Protection Act (DPA)
• 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

OH&DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Occupational Health and DBS clearance prior to appointment.

Informal enquiries to Shahara Choudhry, email: ***email_hidden***

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 .