Clinical Research Fellow

What we offer

The role is offered in the range of £52,748 - £82,026 per annum including London Allowance, on the CL7 or Resident Doctors Pay Scale, dependent on NHS contract and/or stage of clinical training.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits, some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• On-site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible.

This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/conditions-service-research-teaching-and-professional-services-staff for more information.

About us

The Department of Neuroinflammation focuses primarily on research into multiple sclerosis (MS), employing a broad range of basic and clinical methodologies, including clinical therapeutic trials.

The department is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence for MS research, building on the legacy of Professor Ian McDonald, whose contributions are memorialised in the widely accepted McDonald Criteria for the diagnosis of MS.

Based within the department, the Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre (QSMSC) operates across multiple domains of MS research and integrates research with clinical care across UCL, UCLH, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN).

About the role

We are seeking a Clinical Research Fellow to support the clinical delivery of the REFINE-MS trial, a multi-centre, phase 3 study led by Professor Olga Ciccarelli and Professor Max Parmar at UCL. The trial aims to identify the optimal dosing frequency of ocrelizumab in patients with stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

You will play a key role in patient recruitment, clinical assessments, and data collection, working closely with colleagues at UCLH and the MRC Clinical Trials Unit. Responsibilities will also include coordinating blood sample analysis, contributing to data interpretation, and supporting public and patient engagement activities.

This academic post offers opportunities to participate in additional research projects and the clinical care of people living with MS.

An honorary contract will be sought from UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, and other Trusts where the postholder may provide input, for which a DBS check will be required.

The post is available immediately and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research - Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (NIHR EME) for two years in the first instance.

If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team (ion.hradmin@ucl.ac.uk).

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Professor Olga Ciccarelli (email: o.ciccarelli@ucl.ac.uk).

A full job description and person specification for this role can be accessed below. To apply, please upload a current CV, complete the online application form, and use the supporting statement section or upload a cover letter to outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please do not upload any additional attachments as these will not be considered by the selection panel.

About you

You will be a registered medical practitioner with a licence to practise in the UK (i.e., GMC registration) and have completed the MRCP or hold an equivalent qualification from an international institution.

You will have a good understanding of the biology of neurological conditions and/or clinical assessments (e.g., EDSS, patient-reported outcome measures), with experience of working with Multiple Sclerosis patients, and the ability to provide clinical supervision.

Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organisational skills, along with the ability to work independently and use your own initiative, are essential for this role.

This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Institute prides itself on operating in an all-inclusive environment irrespective of personal, physical, or social characteristics. Teamwork is highly valued, individual strengths are recognised and celebrated, and we are committed to advancing the careers of everyone. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives; visit our EDI website for more information about our initiatives and priorities. The Institute also holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.