Research Fellow

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149

Full Time (the hiring team are also open to consider Part Time and Job Share applications) 

Fixed Term contract up to February 2026

Job Summary

We are seeking a Research Fellow to join the AI and Digital Health Research & Policy Group, led by Professor Alastair Denniston, Chair in Regulatory Science and Innovation. Our team focuses on the responsible development and regulation of AI in healthcare, ensuring these technologies are safe, effective, and equitable. We work closely with academic, industry, regulators and policy partners to develop best practices that can be applied internationally.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to a range of research projects, including:

• Research for national/international regulatory policy in AI, as part of the UoB-hosted national Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI & Digital Health. This involves working with regulators and innovators to build regulatory systems for AI that accelerate innovation whilst ensuring safety and equity.
• Exploring the concept of ‘AI Readiness’ and developing approaches to identify and mitigate ‘unreadiness’, to enable safe deployment of AI health technologies. This includes working with healthcare systems at the local and national level to assess their readiness and prepare for AI adoption.
• Exploring the ‘grey areas’ of AI health technologies, including through evaluating health applications of Large Language Models (Is this a medical device? What is its risk classification? How should it be clinically evaluated?) and the development of a ‘Borderline Manual’ for AI health technologies (with the MHRA).

Knowledge transfer and policy engagement opportunities include being part of the national AI & Digital Regulations Service (led by MHRA, NICE, CQC, and HRA but with support from our team), and to participate on the new UoB-hosted MSc in AI Implementation (Health). 

The successful candidate will work within a collaborative and interdisciplinary team, helping to shape policy and research that supports the safe and effective use of AI in health settings.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• 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

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• A first degree and a higher degree (or close to completion, or equivalent experience) related to any of digital/AI health technologies, health regulation, health policy, health economics or a related field
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Experience with AI technologies, digital health, or health regulation (desirable)

What We Offer

• The chance to work on high-profile research projects with rapid impact
• Collaboration with leading experts in the field in the UK and internationally
• An opportunity to contribute to real-world policy and practice, and to make a positive difference to the future of healthcare.

Informal enquiries to Alastair Denniston, email: A.Denniston@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above. 

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment 

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working. 

Closing date: 7th April 2025

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