Senior Research Fellow

College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

School fo Health and Social Care
Fixed term until 04/01/2027
Full time – 37 hours per week
£46,049 to £58,225 per annum, depending on experience
Job number 116127
Closing date 05/01/2026 at 23:30

The role

This is an exciting opportunity to join a cancer research unit with a real pedigree in clinical research
involving NHS cancer patients.

You will join a health services research team with an excellent track record of winning multimillion
pound NIHR grants, in addition to major strategic commercial partnerships with both national and
international organisations (Nuffield Health and Boston Scientific Corp).

Your role will be to bring your data management and quantitative analytical skills, as well as project
management experience, to work across our funded collaborative research portfolio. You will
deliver bespoke research and leadership tasks, support senior and junior researchers and support
our national and international network. We expect you will contribute to our unit’s already excellent
reputation.

The team

The STAMINA research team has been successfully undertaking large multi-centre clinical trials of
complex behavioural interventions in NHS cancer populations for over a decade.

We are experts in clinical trial performance, intervention design, development, and evaluation. We
have a mix of clinical and non-clinical staff and take whole team approach to project support. This
has been a key feature of our success.

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We proactively look to develop talented researchers from within our unit offering support and
mentoring to talented and ambitious individuals who want to work hard and gain the trust of the
team.

The department

The School of Health and Social Care delivers a well-established, large and diverse portfolio of
undergraduate, postgraduate and degree apprenticeship courses leading to registration in 14
different professions. These include Nursing (all fields), Midwifery, Social Work, Paramedic
Science, Operating Department Practitioner, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Diagnostic
Radiography, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Dietetics and Art Psychotherapy. We support
practitioners to continue to develop their professional roles through our extensive continuing
professional development portfolio, our graduates working in local, national, and international
health and social care sectors. Our research portfolio is cutting edge and applied, undertaking
challenge-led collaborative interdisciplinary research, innovation and knowledge exchange to
inform and transform health and social care.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits and opportunities to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career in a
supportive environment.

Pension

You will be contractually enrolled into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) – one of the largest
and most generous defined-benefit pension schemes in the country.

Each year you will earn a secure pension benefit of 1/57th of your salary and the University will pay
pension contributions towards the cost of this pension (currently worth about 29% of your salary).
For a salary of £45,000, for example, the University would pay just over £12,900 in the first year of
your employment and you would earn a pension of £789 p.a. for that year (payable from your State
Pension Age).

Find out more about the TPS

If you’re a member of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) directly before joining us,
you can choose to remain in USS instead.

Location

This role is based at:

• Collegiate Campus, a leafy suburban setting off the vibrant Ecclesall Road

Find out more about getting to our campuses

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Flexible working/Job sharing/Hybrid working

We understand the need for a healthy work-life balance. For this job we welcome applications for
job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements.

For academic staff, hybrid working arrangements are scheduled around student-facing time and/or
business activity.

If you would like to work on a flexible/job-share/part-time basis, please contact Liam from the
‘Questions about this job’ section below to discuss the options available for this role.

Questions about the job

For informal enquiries about this job, please contact Professor Liam Bourke on:

Telephone: 0114 225 5396

Email: [Link]@[Link]

Selection event

Our selection event will take place on a date to be confirmed in early 2026 (expected to be w.c.
19/01/2026).

The selection event will include:

• an interview
• a 10-minute presentation

Details of the presentation will be provided to shortisted candidates.

We want our selection process to be as inclusive as possible for everyone. If you are invited to the
selection event, you will have the opportunity to ask for reasonable adjustments to enable you to
thrive.

How to apply

All applications should be made online using the Sheffield Hallam jobs portal.

Your application should include a CV and a supporting statement (which should be a maximum of
two sides of A4) clearly demonstrating how you meet the 'Essential’ criteria on the person
specification below, using examples from your current and previous experience.

To find out more, take a look at our guide to applying.

We recommend you download the job description and person specification when you apply,

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Equity, equality, diversity and inclusion

We are proud of the rich diversity of our community. Our vision is ‘Sheffield Hallam: A Culture Of
Inclusion’.

This means creating a diverse. inclusive and welcoming environment where people of all identities
and backgrounds feel they belong.

We welcome your application irrespective of age, pregnancy and maternity, disability, sex, gender
reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, or marital or civil partnership status.

Find out more about equity, equality, diversity and inclusion at Sheffield Hallam

Right to work

We are unable to employ anyone who does not have the legal right to work in the UK. If you need
sponsorship to undertake this role, please use the UK government’s Visas and immigration pages
to check your eligibility.

More information for international candidates

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Job description

Job title: Senior Research Fellow

College: Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

Grade: 8

Reports to: Professor

Direct reports: None

Role purpose

Carries out and leads own research/knowledge transfer/consultancy, securing and

directing projects and co-ordinating teams. Makes an active contribution to the research
centre/area. This role specifically: Carries out bespoke research tasks across the
STAMINA research team, primarily supporting the Nuffield Health and Boston Scientific
funded projects.

Senior Research Fellow responsibilities – Grade 8

Research, Knowledge Transfer and Consultancy

• Responsible for regularly leading research and knowledge transfer projects and working
with colleagues as part of a team on projects, including:

• Defining research objectives, designing research methodologies and producing bids.

• Planning projects and managing and motivating staff, data collection and
analysis, monitoring and writing regular reports/presenting findings for clients / funders.

• Taking decisions on projects or bids when leading e.g. signing off small bids, who to
involve in project teams, how to approach research.

• Writing final reports and papers / articles for publication.

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• Budget setting and monitoring resources, ensuring successful completion of project.

• Publishes project reports, research papers and journal articles and present research
outcomes to conferences / seminars.

• May be required to act as project leader on large projects.

• Continually updates knowledge and understanding in field or specialism.

Leadership and Management

• Leads research project teams.

• Responsible for mentoring more junior research staff and advising them on their
personal and professional development.

• Carries out training for colleagues as appropriate e.g. on particular research methods or
skills, software or equipment.

• Day to day management of junior staff, ensuring clear deadlines and milestones are set
and met, monitoring and evaluating progress and regularly reporting to clients /
funders.

Contribution to Research Centre/Area

• Attends appropriate internal meetings e.g. project / team meetings to discuss

operational issues, marketing of the Centre, progress with projects, etc.

• Attends and plays an active role in appropriate University or Faculty groups /

committees on e.g. research ethics, approving research proposals.

• Contributes as required to longer term planning for the Centre.

Business Effectiveness

• Identifies opportunities for funding via networks and research.

• Leads/co-leads or contributes to bidding for projects, including writing bids, negotiating

with clients as necessary and draws up proposals, contracts and project plans for
clients.

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• Generates appropriate income for the research Centre/area.

• Networks with internal and external research teams in other Universities to keep up to
date with developments and opportunities and to consider collaboration on research
projects.

• Identifies opportunities to network and raise the profile of the research centre/area and
the University through membership of appropriate professional bodies and
committees.

Teaching and Learning Support

• May be expected to contribute to teaching at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level

e.g. teaching on specialist area within broader curriculum, giving guest lectures at other
organisations, or delivering specialist modules.

• Supervises undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students.

• May design and provide training and support to external clients and colleagues or
provide advice and input to design of training in specialist areas.

Delivery

• What constitutes an appropriate volume of research publication and an appropriate

level of research income will be identified in the subject-specific job details.

Quality

• High standard of written reports, papers and presentations for publication in practitioner
and peer reviewed academic journals and/or nationally disseminated professional
outputs and delivery at conferences.

• Evidence of impact at a local, regional and sometimes national level.

• Working towards international standing in terms of research outputs.

Volume

• Leads on and generates a number of journal and conference papers each year.

• Leads on research grant applications/bid writing each year.

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Funding

• Develops tenders and applications for own research and for team.

• Generates and sustains income generation each year.

• Predominantly self-funded though research and KT income.

• Generates some income for others.

External Standing

• Well-developed academic profile in specialist area/considered an expert in field

• Has a local and regional, or sometimes national profile with specific organisations.

• Invited speaker at regional and national conferences; advisory role with individual
organisations. Local and regional profile or with specific organisations

• Journal reviewer/assistant editor of journal.

• Member of appropriate professional bodies and committees to raise profile of SHU and
research centre and network with external colleagues.

Specific Responsibilities

• Attends weekly and monthly project management meetings with partners at Nuffield
Health and Boston Scientific Corp as well as monthly steering committee meetings.

• Supports development of proprietary patient monitoring and processing systems

that run our clinical studies portfolio.

• Reviews data management systems within and across institutions.

• Works with other quantitative researchers to design, develop and implement project
performance monitoring systems.

• Undertakes quantitative analysis.

• Supports the writing of annual reports.

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 • Supports grant writing.

• Attends collaborator meetings.

• Supports both senior and junior staff working on the clinical portfolio.

This list is not exhaustive – we may ask you to carry out other duties appropriate to the grade.

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Person specification

Here are the skills, experience, knowledge, and capabilities required to successfully carry out this
job. As part of your application, you should show how you meet the Essential, and where possible
the Desirable criteria, using examples from your experience.

Essential Attainment criteria

Assessment method
(academic or professional qualifications, titles etc)

Application
Honours degree or equivalent professional qualification and/or Certificate
experience in a relevant discipline

Application
Doctorate in a relevant discipline (or equivalent Certificate
qualification, as confirmed by ECCTIS (formerly NARIC) and/or
extensive research knowledge transfer experience

Essential Capabilities criteria

Assessment method
(knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours)

Application
Expert in health services research or clinical trials with an external Presentation
profile and able to contribute to the Faculty and wider academic Interview
community in the specialist field.

Application
Significant experience of leading and undertaking research Presentation
in health services research or clinical trials Interview

Application
Evidence of being part of successful income generation from major Interview
funders.

Significant experience in publication e.g. conference papers, Application

journal articles and client reports, including single-authored
papers.

Experience of speaking at national/international conferences. Application

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 Application
Experience of developing research capacity and research teams. Interview

Application
Experience of managing and monitoring large projects, including Interview
budget setting.

Experience of leading and motivating others. Interview

Excellent planning and organisational skills and the ability to Interview

manage conflicting demands and meet deadlines.

Able to demonstrate vision, creativity and drive to maximise Interview

research potential.

Able to take decisions and resolve problems when leading a Interview

research project.

Able to lead and motivate others to ensure the successful of Interview

projects.

Ability to effectively manage relations with a variety of stakeholders Interview

both internal and external to the University.

Ability to undertake and document all key stages in research to Interview

ensure high quality analysis.

Excellent written and oral communication, presentation and Presentation

interpersonal skills Interview

Willingness to work flexibly including some Interview

weekends, evenings and overnight stays (occasional).

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 Interview
Willing to travel in UK and overseas (occasional).

Application
Engages in appropriate CPD and takes responsibility for own Interview
continuous personal development.

Desirable Capabilities criteria

Assessment method
(knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours)

Experience of working in large multi-centre cancer research Application

projects Interview

Experience of leading small teams successfully Application

Interview

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