Research Fellow in Cultural Change (KTP Associate – UoB/Blanc Aero Industries UK Ltd) - College[...]

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

Job summary

A leading UK university seeks a KTP Research Fellow to lead a change management project in collaboration with a manufacturing partner. The role involves translating academic research into business application and developing training for staff. Candidates should possess a relevant higher degree and strong analytical and communication skills. This full-time position offers a salary range of £36,636 to £46,049, with a fixed-term contract up to November 2028.

Benefits

Dedicated training budget

Continuous support from supervisors

Qualifications

• PhD (or close to completion) in Business Management, Psychology, or Service Design is desirable.
• Experience in manufacturing sector and Human Resources is preferred.
• Strong communication skills for complex information.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver change management project impacting the business.
• Translate academic research into practical application.
• Manage workload to achieve project objectives.

Skills

Analytical capability

Communication skills

Critical thinking

Project management

Education

First degree in area of specialism

Higher degree relevant to research area

Tools

Qualitative data-analytic techniques

Quantitative data-analytic techniques

Job description

Position Details

College of Social Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049.

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to November 2028

Closing date: 5th January 2026

Background

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Birmingham Business School at the University of Birmingham and BLANC AERO INDUSTRIES UK LIMITED (LISI Rugby). The Knowledge Transfer Partnership project aims to implement a management toolkit (CultureLab) to trigger human-centric holistic change. The vision is to instil a culture of continuous learning and growth at LISI Rugby to achieve enhanced agility and sustainable productivity through its people.

Please note that the successful applicant will be employed by the University of Birmingham but will be primarily based at BLANC AERO INDUSTRIES UK LIMITED premises in Rugby.

About Blanc Aero Industries UK Ltd (LISI Rugby)

Located in the historic town of Rugby, Warwickshire, Blanc Aero Industries UK Ltd (LISI Rugby) is part of the LISI AEROSPACE division and became part of the LISI Group in 2000. Originally founded in Coventry in 1939, they supply titanium fasteners for the airframe of aircraft.

A multi-award‑winning site with national awards in categories including training and development, health and safety, wellbeing and EDI, LISI Rugby has a strong track record of working with leading academic institutions and innovators towards creating a world‑class manufacturing environment with a highly people‑centric culture. In 2024, they were awarded the Make UK Manufacturer of the year, recognising their sustained strong performance, innovative approach and contribution to UK manufacturing.

LISI AEROSPACE is a world‑class leading manufacturer of assembly solutions and high‑value‑added components for the aerospace industry. These include fasteners, structure assemblies and components, equipment and engine components, as well as componentry for the defence and space industries. The company also assists the main aircraft manufacturers and aircraft systems manufacturers in the development of major innovation programmes towards building the aircraft of tomorrow, which will be safer and more environmentally friendly.

About Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme is a government‑funded technology transfer initiative that supports partnerships between business and universities, placing graduates on challenging, high‑profile projects. Further information is available at: www.birmingham.ac.uk/ktp

Role Summary

The role of the KTP Research Fellow in Cultural Change is instrumental in transferring academic knowledge from The University of Birmingham to LISI Rugby. The successful applicant will be responsible for leading and delivering a challenging change management project with direct impact on the business and its people. The role holder will have the opportunity to:

Develop Skills

• Develop both industry and research skills to boost your career
• Access a dedicated training and development budget
• Work across all aspects of the project including research and business activities

Take Ownership

• Solve challenges and develop your own learning
• Manage your own workload to deliver project objectives
• Contribute to the project’s direction

Collaborate

• Benefit from continuous support from your academic and company supervisors
• Work with innovative and ambitious company staff including contact with senior management
• See the real‑life impact of your work and research for the company

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below

• Translate academic research into practical application
• Apply the CultureLab methodology to real‑world scenarios for concrete outcomes
• Triangulate data from multiple sources (employees, managers, productivity measures, and KPIs) using multiple collection methods (surveys, interviews, observations) and quantitative and qualitative analytic techniques
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as employee surveys and research interviews
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques, and methods
• Design and deliver training and workshops
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars, etc
• Present project outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example, at seminars and as posters
• Develop case studies and reports on the project
• Undertake management/administration arising from the project
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the project
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of the project objectives and deadlines
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture

Person Specification

Qualifications: First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications/experience

Knowledge & Experience

• Desirable:
  • A PhD (or close to completion) in any area of Business Management, Psychology, or Service Design
  • Expertise in advanced quantitative data‑analytic techniques, e.g., SEM
  • Experience working in the manufacturing sector
  • Experience working in Human Resources/Process Development/Training
  • Expertise in advanced qualitative data‑analytic techniques
• 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
• 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
• Strong communication skills
• Visual communications ability/understanding to maximise accessibility and participation
• Empathy with diverse employees to ensure all contribute/participate
• Experience in presenting in front of an audience

Desirable Skills

• Experience conducting employee surveys
• Experience in developing and delivering live and/or recorded training and workshops
• Critical thinking application to evaluate multiple streams of information
• Ability to engage with both big‑picture and detailed analytical thinking
• Experience with technical reports and/or academic writing

Attributes

• Proactive and self‑driven to achieve workplan
• Motivated to work with multiple stakeholders
• Highly organised with an effective and efficient approach to work
• Attentive to details and maintaining accuracy
• Handling unforeseen circumstances with resilience and adaptability
• Eager to understand and realise the commercial implications of the project

Health, Safety and Environment

• Participate in the development and promotion of the HSE culture
• Be explementary in terms of health and safety and the environment, in particular by:
• Respecting and ensuring respect for the instructions and rules established in the field of health, safety, and the environment (in particular the LISI golden rules)
• Immediately correcting, whenever possible, or reporting to his or her superiors and/or the HSE department, any malfunction or risky situation in the fields of health, safety and environmental protection
• Support preventative actions to reduce the environmental footprint and control health and safety risks
• Participate, upon request, in analyses (of risks, incidents) and HSE working groups related to his/her professional scope of his/her work
• Be familiar with the main health and safety risks and the main environmental impacts relating to the scope of his/her work
• Be familiar with the site’s HSE policy and objectives
• Suggest proposals for improving working conditions and limiting environmental impact

Informal enquiries to Margarita Nyfoudi, email: [e-mail]

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.