Position Details
School of Social Policy and Society
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906 (pro rata for part time)
Grade: 6
Part Time, 0.5 FTE (18.75 hours per week)
Fixed Term contract up to September 2027
Closing date: 16 th July 2026
Background
The Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS) situated at the University of Birmingham is looking to recruit a Research Associate for an NIHR funded research project – the randomised controlled trial of a digital parent support programme for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: The Digital Family Support study, which is an evaluation of the Stepping Stones Triple P Online programme for parent carers of children with intellectual disabilities. The project started in September 2025 and is currently in the recruitment stage.
IDRIS is an applied cross-University research institute established in October 2024 with the
appointment of Professor Richard Hastings as 125th Anniversary Chair and Professor of Psychology Health and Social Care. IDRIS also includes, in Social Policy and Society, three other professorial staff, an associate professor, two senior research fellows, a full-time manager, a full-time administrator, and a number of research fellows, research assistants, and PhD students. Most staff are employed on/funded through external research grants especially from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Other members of IDRIS are based in Schools and Departments across the Colleges of the University. IDRIS works in close co-productive relationships with people with intellectual disabilities, family carers, and with disability advocacy and professional organisations. IDRIS’s research and policy/practice impact is across the lifespan and across sectors (education, health, social care). IDRIS staff are engaged mainly in research on the development and evaluation of interventions and services to support individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Role Summary
- Work within the specified research project of A randomised controlled trial of a digital parent support programme for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: The Digital Family Support study
- Operate within area of specialism
Main Duties
- Collect research data; participant recruitment and data collection
- Contribute to the preparation of research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example for seminars and as posters
- Develop or adapt techniques, models and methods
- Provide support as required to staff and any students who may be assisting with research
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research project objectives or deadlines
- Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research project
- Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- Good honours degree (minimum upper second) in Psychology
- Understanding of research methods including quantitative methods and quantitative data collection and analysis
- Experience working with families who have a child with intellectual disabilities
- Ability to work as part of a team with other researchers
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels and with parents carers of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities
- Highly organised, with the ability to remain self-motivated in keeping to project deadlines
- Ability to work on several tasks in parallel and to manage competing demands
- Understanding of equal opportunity issues as they may impact on areas of research content.
Desirable Criteria
- Masters degree in Psychology/Health /Social Care or research methods.
- Experience of study design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting of research results in externally funded projects.
- Experience of using qualitative analysis methods
Experience working with children with intellectual disabilities, their families and/or carers in a research role
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Informal enquiries to Kylie Gray, email: [email protected]
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 .
