Overview
Job Description
Position Details
School of Social Policy
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
Grade: 6
Part Time 0.2 FTE
Fixed Term contract up to December 2027
Closing date: 15 April 2026
Interviews are being held Friday 8 May 2026
Earliest start date is 1 July 2026
Background
To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within an NIHR funded research project - Digital support for siblings of children with learning disabilities: Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial of the serious game ‘Broodles’.
This project examines whether a serious game (Broodles) can be delivered successfully to siblings of children with learning disabilities, and whether it would be feasible to conduct a later definitive randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness and cost‑effectiveness of Broodles. Siblings in families of children with learning disabilities are at increased risk of mental health problems and often have care responsibilities for their disabled brothers and sisters. There are no evidence‑based supports for young siblings. Despite an expectation that local authorities support siblings, few supports are available in practice. Feasibility questions focus on: recruitment pathways and rates for families, parents’ support for siblings completing Broodles, siblings’ experiences of Broodles, research design acceptability, intervention adherence, retention of siblings and parents at 12‑month follow‑up, differences between Broodles and Usual Support (US), collection of outcome data, and economic methods for future trials.
The post is situated in the Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS) in the School of Social Policy and Society. 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 associates, 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 “Digital support for siblings of children with learning disabilities: Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial of the serious game ‘Broodles’”
* Operate within area of specialism focusing primarily on data collection for the study
* Contribute to publications
Main Duties
* Collect research data from parents via online survey, online/telephone data collection with the researcher, or in-person in the family home
* Collect research data from young siblings in online structured interviews/questionnaires and in-person with the sibling at home
* Support participant recruitment and data collection from young siblings of children with learning disabilities and their parents including obtaining consent from parents and obtaining and checking consent from young siblings
* Complete eligibility checks with parents interested in their family taking part, including administration of the Vineland 3 adaptive behaviour assessment with a parent about their child with learning disabilities
* Entry and cleaning of research data in preparation for analysis
* 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 or a closely related discipline
* 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 children, including children who are the siblings of those 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
* 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
* DBS clearance required
Desirable Criteria
* Masters degree in a Psychology, a closely related discipline 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 the families of children with intellectual disabilities in a research role
* Experience in gathering research data from young children (5-8 years of age)
DBS & Pre-employment
The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Informal enquiries to Alexander White, email: a.white.2@bham.ac.uk
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.
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