Clinical Research Fellow
Job summary
The Research Fellow will play a pivotal role in advancing psychological and multi-disciplinary research, audit and quality improvement (QI) within the Children and Young People's Gender Service (CYPGS) and Psychological Health Services (PHS). Working under the leadership of the Deputy Research and Quality Improvement Director, the postholder will contribute to the design, delivery and dissemination of high-quality studies that address key clinical, psychosocial and developmental questions for children, young people and their families.
The role will combine methodological expertise with applied clinical knowledge to generate robust evidence that informs practice, enhances service delivery and drives QI. This includes supporting and leading projects that evaluate patient outcomes, service models and pathways of care, translating findings into practical improvements in clinical standards and patient experience. The Research Fellow will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, external partners, and academic institutions to secure funding, produce peer-reviewed publications, and strengthen the research profile of BFT. They will also build research capacity within CYPGS and PHS by mentoring colleagues, supporting training in research and QI methods, and ensuring that projects meet the highest ethical and governance standards.
Main duties of the job
Interpersonal and communication skills
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To apply highly developed written and verbal communication skills to convey complex and sensitive research, audit, and quality improvement findings clearly to a wide range of audiences, including clinicians, academics, managers, service users, and policy stakeholders.
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To interpret and present complex quantitative and qualitative data and synthesise evidence into accessible outputs for academic publication, professional education, and service development.
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To use advanced interpersonal skills to build collaborative relationships across multi-professional teams, higher education institutions, and external partners, fostering a culture of research and QI within CYPGS and PHS.
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To act as a point of contact for research and QI advice to clinicians within the department, thereby helping support the integration of evidence into practice and service improvement initiatives.
Please see attached job description for further details on duties of the role.
About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit andretaina workforce whichrepresentsthe rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your applicationin order toensurewe'remeeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information about the duties and responsibilities for this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- PhD in Psychology or closely related discipline
- Doctorate in clinical psychology or equivalent (e.g. DCounsPsy) with current registration as a practitioner psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council
Experience
- Experience in psychological, health, or social-science research relevant to children, young people, and families
- Proven ability to design and manage research and/or quality-improvement projects across multidisciplinary or multi-agency settings, from inception through governance approvals, delivery, and dissemination
- Experience of fostering collaborative working and shared learning across clinical and academic environments
- Experience of designing, conducting, and interpreting assessments of psychosocial needs using validated measures and structured data collection tools within psychological or healthcare research.
- Evidence of Peer-reviewed publications & conference presentations
- Demonstrable understanding of research governance, ethics, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles within NHS and academic contexts
- Understanding of the legislative frameworks governing research involving children and vulnerable adults.
- Post-doctoral or equivalent experience in psychological, health, or social-science research relevant to gender and gender diversity
- Experience of building collaborations and networks with NHS, HEI, and third-sector partners
- Knowledge of the UK health and research landscape, including NHS, NIHR, and UKRI funding structures and research networks, with a track record of successful funding bids
- Experience of preparing and delivering research proposals, fellowships, or grant applications as lead or co-applicant, including post-award project and budget management
- Evidence of providing formal teaching, supervision, and mentorship in research or technical skills to staff and students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels
- Evidence of leadership and training experience, including development of research colleagues and supervision of junior staff
- Participation in peer-review processes for journals, funding panels, or ethics committees
- Completion of a recognised management or leadership qualification or equivalent experience
- Experience of introducing or implementing new technologies or digital research tools (e.g. e-consent, electronic data capture, or analytic software
- Experience of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in health or psychological sciences
Skills
- Analytical skills with capacity to interpret and synthesise complex, multi-source data
- Competence in quantitative and qualitative analysis, including use of software such as R, MATLAB, Python, SPSS, Stata, or NVivo
- Ability to work autonomously while maintaining accountability for research quality and integrity
- Ability to manage and analyse data securely and transparently, maintaining accurate, reproducible records in compliance with NHS, university, and UK GDPR standards
- Skills in research design, statistical modelling, and data visualisation, with commitment to open-science and reproducible research practices
- Ability to integrate and synthesise quantitative and qualitative findings to generate evidence-based interpretations and recommendations that inform research and service development
- Ability to lead research or quality-improvement projects, ensuring adherence to governance, ethics, and data integrity standards while coordinating timelines, staff, and stakeholder engagement
- Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise multiple workstreams and deliver to agreed deadlines with minimal supervision
- Demonstrated understanding of project management processes, including goal monitoring and reporting
- Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully across multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams, promoting a psychologically safe and research-positive culture
- Capacity to travel to regional or national research meetings and participating sites as required
- Experience handling large, longitudinal, or multi-site datasets and integrating mixed-methods evidence
- Demonstrated competence in teaching and training, including delivery of workshops or seminars to clinical, academic, or service teams, and supervision of MSc, DClinPsy, or PhD students in applied research
- Skilled in identifying and applying principles of clinical and research governance, including risk management, safeguarding, and ethical oversight in studies involving children and vulnerable groups.
- High level of digital literacy and IT proficiency, including use of electronic health records (EHRs), databases (e.g. REDCap, Medrio), and data-visualisation platforms (e.g. Tableau, ggplot2, MATLAB)
- Evidence of translational capability, applying research evidence to improve service models, clinical pathways, and policy development
- Experience of engaging with children, young people, families, and public contributors to co-design, refine, or disseminate research.
- Experience of psychometric, neuropsychological, or developmental assessments relevant to health or psychosocial research.
- Experience in open science practices, including pre-registration, reproducible coding, and data-sharing frameworks
- Ability to supervise and develop junior researchers or assistants, supporting their skill acquisition and project delivery
- Experience of implementing innovative or digital research technologies, such as e-consent systems, app-based data capture, wearable sensors, or AI-assisted analytics
Aptitudes
- Emotional intelligence and resilience in managing emotionally demanding or sensitive material, such as work involving trauma, self-harm, or identity-related distress
- Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence in all aspects of research and collaboration.
- Proven capacity to communicate complex and sensitive information clearly and compassionately to diverse audiences, including clinical populations, families, clinicians, researchers, and policy stakeholders, adapting to emotional, cognitive, and cultural needs
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing high-quality reports, peer-reviewed publications, ethics submissions, and presentations at local, national, and international levels
- Capacity for long and intense periods of concentration during data analysis and interpretation
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Upper Maudlin Street
Bristol
BS2 8BJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/