Job DescriptionPosition DetailsSchool of Chemical Engineering
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £35,880 to £45,163 with potential progression once in post to £47,874
Grade: 7
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to January 2028
Closing date: 18th March 2025
BackgroundThe post will be hosted within the Centre for Custom Medical Devices and the wider Healthcare Technologies Institute at the University of Birmingham. Specifically the Innovation Fellow will support an EPSRC funded Network Plus, 4D Health Tech. The vision for 4D Health Tech is to drive forward a new mindset in medical device engineering. We aim to embed time dimensional changes into medical device innovation pathways from design through to materials and manufacturing as well as testing practices. We are looking for an individual who has experience of medical device innovation/translation and is a strong communicator across different research stakeholders. The Innovation Fellow will act as a bridge between the core network team and the network's community members and therefore will be expected to be highly mobile and an effective communicator.
Role SummaryThe Innovation Fellow will act as a knowledge bridge between the core network team and the network's community members as well as external stakeholders. Specifically, the Innovation Fellow will be responsible for:
- Mapping capacity across the network's stakeholders, including academic, industrial, clinical and patients
- To disseminate knowledge across the network around particular research themes, including medical device design, materials, manufacturing and testing.
- Work alongside the network's seed corn projects to support delivery
- Contribute to sustainability of the network through developing new ideas and writing bids
- Collaborate with the wider healthcare technologies ecosystem to bring best practice into the network's activities
- To support running of network events, including training, networking and engagement focused activities
- Contribute towards the development of a positive culture within the network both in terms of community membership and also from a research perspective seeking to incorporate patient diversity into medical device development
- Liaise with other EPSRC funded network's to share best practice and effectively manage resources
Main DutiesThe responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
- Develop relationships with research community and incorporate expertise into network activities
- Disseminate knowledge to network stakeholders
- Support organisation and delivery of network events
- Contribute to the delivery of small grants funded by the network both in terms of research and translational aspects
- Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
- Manage, analyse and interpret data
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
- Disseminate research findings for publication, conferences and through network training events
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to wider Healthcare Technologies Institute at UoB
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities
- Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research both at UoB and across the network's community
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
- Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
Person Specification - First degree and a higher degree aligned with network activities in medical device innovation, including design, materials, manufacturing, engineering
- Ability to communicate effectively to different stakeholder groups
- A proactive attitude with willingness to shape the network's community as it evolves
- Evidence of high quality research outputs in specialism area
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- Contribute to the planning and organising of the network
- Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
Informal enquiries to Sophie Cox, email: s.c.cox@bham.ac.uk
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.
