RSS Industry Associate - Department of Applied Health Sciences - 108127 - Grade 7

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Birmingham is seeking an Industry Associate for the NIHR RSS Birmingham and Partners Hub to bridge academic research and industry in health and life sciences.

You will deliver industry-facing funding advice, identify SME opportunities, and navigate UK funding programmes and regulatory landscapes, enabling NHS adoption and translational impact.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of NIHR industry focused research funding programmes and ability to support funding applications.
• Experience navigating Medical Device and IVD regulatory processes and NHS adoption pathway.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships across academia and industry.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Industry Associate for NIHR RSS Birmingham and Partners Hub, supporting interface between academia and industry.
• Provide industry research support to SMEs, including market analysis and regulatory guidance.
• Develop and present evidence to support funding applications and funding opportunities.

Job description

Position Details

Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2028

Closing date: 19th October 2026

UK travel may be required for this role

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Department Overview

Working on behalf of the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) Research Support Service (RSS), the role will provide expert industry advice to researchers nationwide to enable them to develop funding applications to be submitted to national, health and care funding programmes primarily those aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.

The NIHR RSS provides support and advice to researchers developing funding applications at all stages of the research pathway - from pre-application through to post-award support through collaboration with our clinical trials units (CTUs) and partners. Our service is delivered nationally by eight ‘Hubs’, each a partnership of research groups, organisations and clinical trials units (CTUs) with expertise in applied health and care research, social care or public health research.

Role Summary

To act as the Industry Associate for the NIHR RSS Birmingham and Partners Hub, supporting the strategic interface between academic research and industry (particularly SMEs) in the health and life sciences sector. The postholder will deliver industry-related funding application design and development advice so enhancing research funding opportunities for SMEs, provide specialist guidance on the requirements of UK funding programmes, the UK regulatory landscape and how to adopt research into NHS settings. The postholder will bring insights from market analysis and industry policy to the broader RSS team, contributing actively at events and within professional networks.

Main Duties

• Serve as the main point of contact for all industry-focused project queries within RSS, responding independently and exercising judgment on daily unforeseen problems with limited guidance.
• Support ‘researchers’, particularly SME partners, by identifying and mapping SME funding opportunities across medicines, health tech, and med tech.
• Conduct market assessment research for projects and SME collaborators, including competitor analysis, gap analysis, regulatory landscapes, and potential market entry barriers in the life sciences sector.
• Translate researchers' briefs into actionable industry research support, gathering, synthesising, and presenting evidence to support the development of funding applications.
• Work with senior RSS methodologists to provide an ‘industry lens’ across disciplines, deploying appropriate commercial terminology, references, and frameworks. Supporting or leading researcher meetings to take a brief, signpost and produce the industry actions.
• Research, analyse, and report on industry strategy, government policies, regulatory changes, and new standards, ensuring the RSS team remains informed and compliant.
• Liaise with external stakeholders such as regulatory authorities, standard-setting bodies, government agencies, and industry associations as required, representing RSS and projects with professionalism.
• Organise and contribute to cross-sector project management groups (e.g., advisory boards, interdisciplinary working groups) to foster collaborative innovation and operational effectiveness.
• Develop best practice in industry engagement, contributing to process improvement and the SME service delivery output for RSS.
• Represent the RSS at industry conferences, networking events, and innovation forums, gathering and reporting insights and foresights, regarding the competitive landscape and evolving trends in health and life sciences.

Provision of significant and high-level project management support. This may include some or all the following:

• developing project plans, identifying (as appropriate) key performance indicators and milestones,
• reviewing and auditing progress on projects to identify and act on improvements to effectiveness, efficiency and delivery,
• reporting on progress including the development of reporting mechanisms, writing reports (eg on project budgetary management), and presenting to appropriate meetings such as Project Board or to other key stakeholders,
• providing executive support to Project Boards, work streams and working groups as required; setting agendas, collating and distributing papers and minutes and ensuring follow up action is taken.
• Coordinate the organisation of conferences/ meetings/ workshops/ dissemination events if required.
• Develop communication material, which may include developing, for example, newsletters, briefings for stakeholders and/or content for the RSS website or other social media.
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Have an in-depth knowledge of NIHR industry focused research funding programmes, their eligibility requirements, application processes and be able to evidence experience of supporting funding applications to a number of these funding programmes in a working environment.
• Working knowledge and experience of navigating the Medical Device and IVD regulatory processes and NHS adoption pathway.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including concise communication, diplomacy, and ability to build effective relationships across academic and industry boundaries, particularly with those unfamiliar with the UK research funding application process.
• Sound knowledge of UK health innovation funding structures, SME funding opportunities, and the regulatory environment.
• Experience of project management within research, with a clear track record of industry and health/life sciences sector engagement.
• Demonstratable ability to synthesise large volumes of information on the Health & Life Sciences sector market and innovators, and to communicate findings in impactful written reports and presentations.
• High degree of personal responsibility, initiative, and professional discretion as an Industry Associate.
• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline (health, life sciences, project management).
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to produce and analyse information and data.
• Highly proficient IT skills, including the MS Office and website editing software. You should be confident and able to quickly learn new IT skills and software packages as required.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, relationship building and influencing skills with the ability to deal confidently with a range of internal and external stakeholders/contacts.
• Excellent organisational and multi-tasking skills with a methodical approach to work and the ability to prioritise workloads in order to meet deadlines.
• 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.

Further particulars

Informal enquiries to Neil Thomas, 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.