Research Associate

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906

Fixed Term contract up to December 2026

We are part of the ‘Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute’. We call it IDRIS.

IDRIS is a group of researchers at the University of Birmingham.

IDRIS does research to help people with learning disabilities.

IDRIS does research to help the families of people with learning disabilities.

Lots of things are unfair for people with learning disabilities and their families.

Our research aims to make things better for people with learning disabilities and their families.

IDRIS works with services (like schools and hospitals).

IDRIS works in partnership with people with learning disabilities.

Partnership means making choices together.

The ideas that people with learning disabilities have are important.

People with learning disabilities help IDRIS with research in lots of ways:

• People with learning disabilities help IDRIS choose the right questions to ask in research.
• People with learning disabilities help IDRIS plan the research.
• People with learning disabilities help IDRIS do the research
• People with learning disabilities help IDRIS share what we learn from the research in ways that are easy to understand.

IDRIS wants somebody who has a learning disability to join our group of researchers.

You will share your experiences of having a learning disability

• In this job, you will speak up for people with learning disabilities.
• In this job, you will work together with other people to do research.
• In this job, you will lead a group of people with learning disabilities who give advice to researchers.

You do not need a school or university qualification to do this job.

You must have done work like this before:

• You must have shared your experiences of having a learning disability to help others in a paid or unpaid job.
• You must have worked in advocacy (speaking up for people), policy (helping make rules), or research (helping find out new information).

Please see below links for further information:

To view the job description for this role, please click here – Research Associate (Lived Description) Job Description

To view a easy read job description – Easy Read Job Description

To watch a video describing this role, please click here – YouTube Video Job Description

If you have any questions about the job, or your application, or would like any assistance in applying, please contact IDRIS Institute Manager Alexander White at a.white.2@bham.ac.uk

This position has a genuine occupational requirement under paragraph 1, Schedule 9, Equality Act 2010, that only applicants with a learning disability can be considered. This is due to the nature of the role, which involves sharing lived experiences as a person with a learning disability and working together with researchers in a way that is called co-production.

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

Closing date: 01/03/2026 23:59

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