BRC Cluster Leads Advertisement and Eligibility Criteria

Biomedical Research Centre and Dementia Unit
at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
and King’s College London
Internal call:
Two vacancies for Cluster Lead roles within the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre
Closing date for applications: 13th October 2014
Introduction
Following the recent appointment of the new Director of the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre
(BRC), Professor Matthew Hotopf, the BRC Management Board is pleased to invite applications for two
exciting leadership opportunities in the Engagement, Population and Informatics (EPI) Cluster and the
Experimental Medicine and Clinical Trials Cluster (EMCT). The EPI Cluster previously led by Professor
Hotopf is currently under the stewardships of interim Lead, Professor Robert Stewart. The second
opportunity in the EMCT Cluster has arisen as a consequence of current Lead Professor Andrew Pickle’s
decision to step down in order to focus on his Theme Lead responsibilities in the BRC. The BRC Cluster
Lead roles offer a rare opportunity to lead the development of a cohesive overarching research strategy
for each Cluster, ensuring that themes within the individual Cluster successfully deliver to the research
objectives set out in the approved NIHR BRC application. BRC Cluster Leads are responsible for chairing
their respective Cluster Management Boards, maintaining performance standards for the delivery of
individual Themes’ milestones, overseeing the financial management of Theme budgets; ensuring that
spend is managed in accordance with NIHR guidelines and planning the release of funds for strategically
important projects as needed. As members of the BRC/U Management Board, Cluster Leads will
contribute to executive decision making on the forward strategy of the BRC, advising the BRC Director on
external opportunities and threats and positioning the BRC for successful refunding in the next NIHR BRC
competition in 2015/2016.
Applications are invited from internationally excellent biomedical and translational clinicians/researchers
employed or holding an honorary contract at King’s College London at senior lecturer or higher academic
rank, with a portfolio of research relevant to the scope of the Cluster for which they are applying. The
Cluster Lead roles will integrate alongside the existing post of the successful applicant. Candidates will be
in the forefront of their field internationally as demonstrated through a successful track record of peerreviewed publications (for example, the current NIHR benchmark expects a minimum of 75 peer reviewed
publications over an 8 year period although this standard may not necessarily be rigidly applied), success
at attracting grant funding and contributing to translational research outputs for patient benefit. In addition,
candidates will have proven academic leadership and senior management experience.
Successful role holders will have a percentage of their academic sessions reimbursed by the BRC to their
employing organisation (KCL or associated King’s Health Partner NHS Trust) in recognition of their
contribution to the BRC project. As members of the NIHR Faculty they will be eligible to apply for central
NIHR professional development opportunities such as the NIHR Leadership Support and Development
Programme and/or NIHR Senior Investigator awards. Clinical academics will be able to utilise their
involvement in the NIHR BRC/U healthcare agenda to apply for Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-committee-on-clinical-excellence-awards).
The BRC/U is committed to the Athena SWAN charter (http://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-chartermarks/athena-swan/).
Background
The NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre aims to accelerate pull through of basic discovery
research into experimental medicine and early phase clinical research for patient benefit. The BRC is
funded on a competitive basis with a budget of approximately £49m administered across ten research
themes grouped into the following Clusters:
Clinical Disorders Cluster
Cluster Lead: Professor Anthony David; Deputy Lead: Dr Paola Dazzan
 Developmental Disorders Theme (Theme Lead: Professor Declan Murphy)
 Disorders of Affect & Addiction & Their Interface with Medicine Theme (Interim Lead: Professor Carmine
Pariante
 Neuropsychiatric Disorders Theme (Theme Lead: Professor Anthony David)
Engagement Population and Informatics Cluster
Cluster Interim Lead- Professor Robert Stewart; Deputy Lead: Dr Stephani Hatch
 Bioinformatics and Statistics (Theme Lead: Professor Andrew Pickles)
 Clinical and Population Informatics (Theme Lead: Professor Robert Stewart)
 Patient and Carer Participation (Theme Lead: Professor Til Wykes)
Experimental Medicine and Clinical Trials Cluster
Cluster Interim Lead-Professor Andrew Pickles; Deputy Lead: Dr Valeria Mondelli
 Bioresource for Mental Health Theme (co Lead: Dr Gerome Breen)
 Biomarkers and Genomics Theme (co Lead: Dr Gerome Breen)
 Clinical Trials Theme (Theme Lead: Professor Allan Young)
 Neuroimaging Theme (Theme Lead: Professor Steve Williams)
Training and Capacity Development Cluster
Cluster Lead-Professor Richard Brown; Deputy Leads; Dr Vivienne Curtis and Dr Patricia Zanelli
 PhD Studentships
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 Preparatory Clinical Fellowships
 Bursaries for Allied Health Professionals
Further information about the BRC can be found at www.slam.nhs.uk/brc
Eligibility
Internationally-leading clinical/academics employed by KCL or a King’s Health Partner’s NHS Foundation
Trust. Female researchers are particularly encouraged to apply as this group is under represented
in the senior academic leadership of the BRC. Applicants will have a demonstrable track record of
excellence in either a clinical/research area in any one or more of the following fields: psychiatry;
psychology; neuroscience; physical/mental health interface; analytical methodology and/or biomedical
technology platforms relevant to mental health and neurosciences including imaging, genetics,
informatics, statistics and epidemiology/population health.
Application and selection process
Interested applicants should complete the accompanying CV application form indicating which role they
are interested in applying for and send to [email protected] by 13th October 2014. CVs will be
reviewed by the BRC/U Management Board and short listed against the following criteria:
•
Track record of academic excellence in an area of experimental medicine and/or translational
research in mental health or neurosciences.
•
Evidence of academic leadership and senior management experience
•
Strong track record of collaborative research.
•
Experience of handling significant grant income.
•
Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.
•
Evidence of commitment to patient and public involvement (PPI) and patient and public
engagement (PPE).
The panel will make accommodation for personal circumstances which may have impacted on the
academic outputs of potential applications such as taking a career break for domestic reasons; working
in an alternate career industry (e.g clinical service or industry route). Interviews are planned to take
place in November, for immediate appointment.
Contact information: If you have any queries about this call, please contact the Director of the NIHR
Maudsley BRC, Professor Matthew Hotopf ([email protected]).
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