Job Description
Position Details
The Institute for Data and AI (IDAI)
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149
Grade: 7
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to July 2028
Closing date: 31st August 2025
Background
The Institute for Data and AI (IDAI) promotes excellence in Data Engineering, Data Science and AI theory and practice, ensuring their co-evolution and competent adoption across disciplines to enable transformative, interdisciplinary, impactful data-intensive research. The Institute brings together researchers and educators from across the University around a shared ambition to address grand societal challenges through open collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.
IDAI is looking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow who, as one of two Postdoctoral Research Fellows in the Institute, will play a critical role in expanding and multiplying research efforts directly emerging from the Institute's research themes and work done by Institute Affiliates. These strategic appointment will be instrumental in delivering the Institute's mission of promoting research excellence in Data Science methods and AI models while ensuring their principled and competent adoption across disciplines.
Our approach is anchored in fostering an interdisciplinary and inclusive culture in research and education across our Colleges and Schools, providing a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives come together to address problems and challenges that transcend the boundaries of individual disciplines.
This role will be based in Elm House; a dedicated space for the Institute for Data and AI (IDAI) , the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA) , and other strategic research initiatives such as the Met Office Academic Partnership and Birmingham’s Turing University Network . The recently renovated Elm House, is a building fully dedicated to open, inclusive and inspiring research spaces for academics and their collaborators. In addition, the University of Birmingham offers exceptional High Performance Computing facilities, including through the Tier-2 Baskerville system.
Role Summary
We are seeking early-career researchers with strong technical backgrounds in AI/Data Science and a commitment to interdisciplinary research. The successful candidate will actively participate in the Institute's mission to drive impactful data-intensive research, by:
- Conducting high-quality research
- Supporting research groups across the University to develop new project proposals centred on data-intensive research
- Engaging with stakeholders across academia and industry
- Developing recommendations to help the shaping of research priorities, both internally and to funders, through co-authoring and co-editing research vision and policy documents
The post holder will engage in developing and leading research projects contributing to IDAI's interlocking thematic networks: Governance, Economy, and Social Impact; Health, Environment, and Resilience; Advanced Engineering, Materials Science, and Smart Manufacturing; Creative and Cultural Digital Futures; and Foundational Data Science and AI Methodologies. Together, these themes create a collaborative research environment that exemplifies IDAI's distinct approach to interdisciplinary data science and AI research.
Main Duties
Research and Innovation:
- Develop innovative research programmes aligned with IDAI's research themes
- Propose, plan, and execute research projects under the IDAI banner
- Contribute to grant writing and project development to secure external funding
- Support the development and success of IDAI’s Research Themes
- Develop novel methodologies and approaches in data science and AI
- Contribute to technology and research horizon scanning with the goal of developing research strategy and influencing funders’ priorities
Knowledge Exchange and Impact:
- Engage with external partners including industry, policymakers, and other academic institutions
- Represent and promote the Institute's work to external audiences
- Support the translation of research into practical applications
- Contribute to the Institute's pump-prime funding scheme
- Participate in organising workshops, seminars, and other knowledge exchange activities
Collaboration and Engagement:
- Work closely with IDAI Affiliates and Theme leads across the University
- Support interdisciplinary collaboration through the Institute's Research Themes
- Mentor students and early-career researchers in data science and AI methods
- Contribute to building the Institute's research community
- Foster connections with the Alan Turing Institute and other strategic partners
- Engage in administrative duties within the university, particularly those related to IDAI’s research, knowledge exchange and impact
- Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
Person Specification
Essential:
- PhD (or near completion) in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, or a related field with substantial expertise in data science/AI methods
- Strong publication record in relevant areas
- Demonstrated ability to work across disciplinary boundaries
- Strong analytical skills and experience in developing and implementing machine learning/AI solutions using relevant languages and frameworks
- Excellent communication skills and proven ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders
- Technology and research horizon scanning skills
- 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
Desirable:
- Experience in securing research funding
- Track record of interdisciplinary collaboration
- Expertise in one or more of IDAI's theme areas
- Experience in stakeholder engagement
- Background in developing ethical and responsible AI solutions
- Knowledge transfer and enterprise experience
Environment and Support
You'll be based in Elm House, IDAI's dedicated space designed for collaboration and innovation, working alongside:
- IDAI Director, Deputy Directors and Institute management committees
- IDAI Fellows and Affiliates from across the University
- The Research Data Science team
- Visiting researchers and collaborators
- Partners from industry and government
- Institute operations team
- Research, Engagement and Impact professional service teams
You'll benefit from:
- Direct engagement with IDAI's strategic partnerships
- Access to high-performance computing facilities including Baskerville HPC
- Opportunities to shape emerging research themes and networks
- Support for developing independent research programmes
- Dedicated research and travel budget
How To Apply
Please submit:
- CV
- Your application must be accompanied by a statement, of no more than 600 words (excluding bibliography and references as needed), addressing the three points below. Wherever possible, cite concrete evidence – for example: funding body, year, value, your role, publicly available outputs (papers, software, policy briefs):
- Shaping interdisciplinary, data-intensive research Outline up to three occasions on which you initiated or materially shaped an interdisciplinary, data-intensive research proposal. Specify:
- the disciplines and partners involved;
- how you integrated methods or theories across fields;
- the outcome (funded / not funded, key lessons); and
- how the work aligns with current UKRI, Horizon Europe or comparable industrial priorities in AI and data science.
- Influencing research agendas and policy Give one or two examples of vision papers, white papers or strategy documents that you have co-authored or edited and that have helped steer institutional or funder priorities. Clarify your precise contribution and any demonstrable impact (e.g. citation in a funding call, adoption by an R&D organisation, reference in parliamentary briefings).
- Collaborating and communicating across sectors Summarise your experience of working with non-academic stakeholders – industry, government, third sector or the public. Highlight a case in which you translated complex AI concepts for a non-specialist audience and indicate the outcome (policy change, prototype, engagement metrics, etc.).
(Within the word limit, you may add a closing sentence indicating how you would contribute to the Institute’s mission of building an interdisciplinary research ecosystem during your first year.)
- Cover letter describing your interest in the role
- Names and contact details of three referees
Informal enquiries to Dr Hazel Wilkinson, Deputy Director IDAI, email:
[email protected] or, Prof Slava Jankin, Deputy Director IDAI, email:
[email protected] .
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 . 
