Research Fellow

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,735 to £55,755 with potential progression once in post to £62,728

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to February 2026 with the potential for a 12 month extension

Background

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 work on 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).

As a Research Fellow, you will play a key role in shaping the research direction of these projects, contributing to funding applications, and engaging with policymakers, regulators, and industry partners.

Role Summary

• Initiate and conduct original research which has measurable outcomes and is reflected in a growing national and often incipient international reputation
• Plan, design and co-ordinate research activities and programmes
• Contribute to the development of research strategies
• Publish results of own research
• Supervise PhD students
• Contribute to the Department/School through management/leadership 
• Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities, widening participation, schools outreach or similar activities at Department/School level or further within the University

Person Specification

• Normally, a higher degree relevant to the research area (normally PhD) or equivalent qualifications
• Extensive research experience and scholarship within subject specialism
• Experience and achievement reflected in a growing reputation 
• Extensive experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high quality results
• Extensive experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods

Informal enquires can be made to Professor Alastair Denniston 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

Closes: 15/05/2025

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