Research Fellow (EpiCare) School of Psychology 106429 Grade 7

The University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious educational institution based in Birmingham seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support evaluation activities of the EPICare programme, focusing on mental health service implementation. The ideal candidate will engage in qualitative research, work with multi-disciplinary teams, and possess a PhD in a relevant field.

Qualifications

• Experience in applied health or mental health research, especially in NHS or clinical settings.
• Experience designing and conducting qualitative research.
• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Guide data collection and analysis for implementation evaluation.
• Conduct qualitative interviews and focus groups.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams.

Skills

Qualitative data analysis

Communication skills

Implementation research frameworks

Education

PhD in relevant field

Tools

NVivo

Job description

Position Details

School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Salary: £36,636 - £46,049 per annum, potential progression to £48,822.

Grade: 7

Contract: Full Time Fixed Term up to November 2026. Starting Autumn 2025.

Closing date: 19 Oct 2025.

UK travel may be required.

Background

The EPICare Study is a major multi-stage and multi-site research programme funded by the NIHR and the Mental Health Mission aimed at developing, implementing and evaluating a national digital registry and embedded Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services across England.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow 1 FTE Grade 7 to join the team from Autumn 2025 to support the implementation process evaluation of the EPICare programme.

Initial contract 12 months with potential to extend to 24 months contingent on performance. This role is part of a four-year NIHR Programme Grant across five NHS Trust demonstrator sites with potential expansion.

Role Summary

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow you will be integral to the Implementation Process Evaluation workstream led by Professor Justin Waring, working closely with Work Package 3, Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG), and local implementation teams at all five NHS Trusts.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply implementation science frameworks (CFIR, ERIC) to guide data collection, analysis and interpretation.
• Develop and deliver two rounds of implementation evaluation, identifying contextual barriers, facilitators and strategies to address them.
• Conduct qualitative interviews and focus groups with stakeholders including service leaders, platform developers, clinicians, service users, IT teams and patient representatives.
• Carry out structured ethnographic observations of implementation activities across the Trusts.
• Assess data quality and engagement with EPICare digital components (dashboards, CareLoop app).
• Integrate findings into the iterative development of an evidence‑based implementation toolkit.
• Apply quality improvement techniques (Plan‑Do‑Study‑Act cycles) to refine implementation strategies.
• Contribute to dissemination activities and engagement with policy stakeholders and national EIP networks.
• Support the day-to-day coordination, delivery and analysis of the evaluation programme.
• Collaborate with cross‑disciplinary teams including Chief Investigator Prof. James Kirkbride (UCL), Deputy Chief Investigators Prof. Rachel Upthegrove (Oxford) and Dr. Lowri Griffiths (Birmingham).

Additional Duties

• Assist in developing research objectives and proposals, including joint projects with mentorship support.
• Contribute to writing research funding bids.
• Analyse and interpret data, using NVivo or similar software.
• Prepare academic publications, research seminars, posters and reports.
• Supervise students and provide guidance to PhD candidates where required.
• Participate in departmental and school research activities and administrative tasks.
• Provide support to staff and students assisting with research.
• Promote equality and values diversity, acting as a role model for inclusive culture.

Person Specification

• PhD (or near completion) in implementation science, health services research, medical sociology, public health, psychology or related discipline.
• Experience in applied health or mental health research, especially in NHS or clinical settings.
• Experience applying implementation research frameworks (e.g., CFIR, ERIC) to study clinical or health service innovation.
• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, ethnographic observation).
• Experience working in multi‑site, multi‑disciplinary research collaborations.
• Excellent qualitative data analysis skills (NVivo or similar).
• Strong communication skills, including publication writing.
• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Ability to engage with clinicians, patients and IT professionals.
• Desirable knowledge of digital health tools and their NHS integration.
• High level of analytical capability.
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and willingness to develop new ones.
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of broader management/administration processes.
• Experience coordinating own work with others to avoid duplication.
• Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010 and commitment to equity in day‑to‑day activities.
• Requirement for DBS Occupational Health Check and awareness of the Data Protection Act (DPA).

Health and Safety Requirements

All successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory Occupational Health and DBS clearance prior to appointment.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. The University of Birmingham holds Athena SWAN Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre to continuously improve fairness and opportunity.

Contact

Informal enquiries: Shahara Choudhry email: [e-mail]