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Job Vacancies

All applications for our vacancies are made online through the University of Oxford jobs website and only in very exceptional circumstances can we receive applications via other means. 

If you have a disability or other compelling reason that prevents you submitting an application online please email the divisional HR team at divoff.jobs@medsci.ox.ac.uk for advice. 

Vacancies for committees and other internal positions are listed below with information on how to apply. 

Academic Lead for Research Funding 

Role Description

Introduction 

As the Academic Lead for Research Funding you will be part of a small academic leadership team supporting the Medical Sciences Division’s research ambitions. This will include supporting selection of candidates for external funding opportunities and internal research funding awards by reviewing internal applications, chairing review panels and overseeing selection processes. The Academic Lead will also contribute to development of strategy and processes, ensure appropriate leadership and governance for the research funding space. 

The Academic Lead for Research Funding will work across the disciplinary breadth of the Medical Sciences Division and so must be interested in and highly committed to the development of clinical and non-clinical research, including beyond their own area of expertise. The role will require consideration of risks and benefits across the whole Division, plus external drivers in the research landscape, and the ability to work collegially to provide input to vision and strategy. 

The Academic Lead for Research Funding will report to the Associate Head of Division (Research) and will be supported by the professional services staff in the Medical Sciences Divisional Office and the chairs and reviewers of MSD’s established panels and sub-committees. The Academic Lead will also engage with the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), MSD senior leadership, Heads of Departments and central professional services teams.  

This appointment will be made for two years in the first instance, with periodic reviews. The appointment is open only to internal applicants holding an existing contract of employment with the University of Oxford who expect to be able to commit to the role for two years. All applicants will need the support of their Head of Department to take on this role which is expected to be undertaken alongside existing duties. The time commitment is expected to be 5 hours per week on average, with variation over the year following the annual cycle of funding activity. A Responsibility Allowance is payable (equivalent to Schedule V – currently £9,090).

Applications

To apply for this role please send a covering letter (maximum 3 pages) and CV by email to divoff.jobs@medsci.ox.ac.uk by 12 noon on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

 

Key duties and responsibilities

  1. Lead and support the selection of candidates for external funding opportunities through coordinated bids by reviewing internal applications and overseeing selection processes
  2. Lead and support the selection of applicants to receive internal research funding by overseeing selection processes for all internal funding schemes relevant to MSD, and chairing and reviewing internal applications for some schemes 
  3. Contribute to development of strategy and processes to ensure the Division is effective in allocating its internal funding to support research 
  4. Ensure appropriate academic leadership and governance is in place in the research funding remit, including chairing selection committees and supporting Chairs of established schemes, and using diplomacy to give constructive feedback or resolve conflict 
  5. Support strategic developments in research across MSD and the wider University, drive development of new initiatives in the research funding space in MSD, and engage with development of central initiatives on behalf of the Division 
  6. Support engagement with external funding bodies, including Wellcome and MRC 
  7. Support preparation of nominations for MSD researchers for high-profile external Prizes 
  8. Support review and institutional sign-off of Host Organisation letters/statements of support for external funding applications where the funder/University requires Divisional input 
  9. Chair or participate in occasional mock interview panels for applicants invited to interview for major external awards such as MRC Centres of Research Excellence 
  10. Represent MSD as needed at relevant central University fora including Research & Innovation Committee and John Fell Fund Main Committee, and ensure appropriate representation at sub-committees  
  11. Deputise as needed for the Associate Head (Research) 

Selection Criteria 

Essential

  1. An academic/research position in a Department in the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division and a research profile of international standing
  2. Experience of conducting peer review of funding applications outside your immediate area of expertise 

  1. Experience of effective committee participation (including chairing) and ability to command the respect of colleagues, build consensus and resolve conflicts 

  1. Awareness of and interest in research far from your own area of expertise, including both clinical and non-clinical disciplines 

  1. Ability to consider opportunities and risks across the whole Division plus external drivers in the research landscape 

  1. A collegial approach to developing policies and resolving problems 

  1. Demonstrable effectiveness of collaborating with professional services colleagues 

  1. Experience improving research culture and factors affecting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and commitment to advancing the Medical Sciences Division’s goals in these areas  

  1. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities and a clear plan for delivering on the responsibilities of this role alongside others.  

Desirable 

  1. Experience of contributing to the strategic development of a Department, Division or the University as a whole 

  1. Experience of developing and implementing strategies to achieve long-term goals

Academic Lead for Policy Engagement 

Role Description 

Introduction

The Academic Lead for Policy Engagement will be a key part of a small academic leadership team supporting the Medical Sciences Division’s ambitions to maximise the impact, funding and reputation of our research through innovation and engagement activities. We have aspirations to increase the impact of our research on public policy at a local, national and international level, by building capacity for researchers to undertake high-quality policy engagement activities, and through developing our relationships with key policy stakeholders. The postholder will provide leadership in this space, advocating for high-quality policy engagement activity across the Division, and supporting the development of a transformative programme of activities led out of the Medical Sciences Divisional Office (MSDO). Furthermore, the Academic Lead will ensure that the Division’s interests in terms of policy engagement are represented in relevant University-wide initiatives and committees.

The Academic Lead for Policy Engagement should have a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges surrounding policy engagement work at either a local, national or international level, and an understanding and willingness to support this across the disciplinary breadth of the Medical Sciences Division.

The Academic Lead for Policy Engagement will report to the Associate Head of Division (Research) and will be supported by the professional services staff in the Medical Sciences Divisional Office, primarily the Public and Policy Engagement Facilitator. The Academic Lead will also be expected to engage with other Academic Leads for the Medical Sciences Division (including Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement; Research Culture); the University Champion for Policy Engagement, MSD senior leadership, Heads of Departments and central professional services teams. 

This appointment is open only to internal applicants holding an existing contract of employment with the University of Oxford for the duration of the appointment. All applicants will need the support of their Head of Department to take on this role which is expected to be undertaken alongside existing duties. The time commitment is expected to be 2 hours per week on average, with variation over the year. The appointment will be made for two years in the first instance.

Applications

To apply for this role please send a covering letter (maximum 3 pages) and CV by email to divoff.jobs@medsci.ox.ac.uk by 12 noon on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

 

Key duties and responsibilities

  1. Provide strategic direction to the Medical Sciences Divisional Office’s approach for supporting policy engagement activity. This includes identifying researcher and departmental needs, identifying external opportunities, and developing Divisional priorities to maximise the policy impact of our research
  2. Work with the Public and Policy Engagement Facilitator, MSDO, and other Academic Leads where relevant, to support the implementation of the division’s strategic policy engagement activities to enhance the impact of MSD research
  3. Act as an advocate for policy engagement activities across MSD. Gather insights from departments and researchers at all levels of the barriers, challenges and opportunities with regards to policy engagement.
  4. Represent the Division’s interests in policy engagement at an institutional level by contributing to relevant committees and other institutional initiatives as required. This will include being the Division’s representative on the OPEN Steering Group, chaired by the University’ Academic Champion for Policy Engagement (Terms of Reference available here).
  5. Deputise as needed for the Associate Head (Research) 

Selection Criteria 

Essential

  1. An academic/research position in a Department in the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division and an established research profile
  2. Significant experience of policy engagement activities at a local, national or international level, and a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges for researchers in achieving policy impact from their research
  3. Experience of effective committee participation (including chairing) and ability to command the respect of colleagues, build consensus and resolve conflicts
  4. Awareness of and interest in research far from your own specialty, including both clinical and non-clinical disciplines
  5. A collegiate approach to developing strategies and resolving problems
  6. Demonstrable effectiveness in collaborating with professional services colleagues
  7. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities and a clear plan for delivering on the responsibilities of this role alongside others.

Desirable

  1. Experience of working with stakeholder(s) to drive a change in regulatory policy
  2. Experience of contributing to the strategic development of a Department, Division or University as a whole
  3. Experience of developing and implementing strategies to achieve long-term goals

Academic Lead for Patient Involvement and Public Engagement

Role Description 

Introduction

The Medical Sciences Division is committed to advocating for, and providing support for, patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in research as a way of continually improving the quality and relevance our of world-leading health research. Furthermore, the University recognises responsible and purposeful engagement with communities and the public as an integral part of our research, driving collaboration and creating positive change. The Medical Sciences Divisional Office supports a range of engagement activities, in particularly the development of engagement plans in major research bids led out of the Divisional office, and connecting departmental led activity with University-wide strategies and initiatives. We are seeking to grow our resources in this area to meet increasing demand for support, particularly in the pre-application stage of major bids and in addressing structural barriers to high-quality engagement, but also to deepen our connections with key partner organisations, including Oxford BRC, Oxford Health BRC, local NHS Trusts and Local Authorities. 

This role will provide academic leadership across the spectrum of participatory research, public and community engagement activities happening across the Division, but with a particular focus on patient involvement as this is a priority for the Division. The Academic lead will be a key part of a small academic leadership team reporting to the Associate Head (Research) supporting the Medical Sciences Division’s ambitions to maximise research impact, funding and reputation of our research through innovation and engagement. 

The Academic Lead will be supported by the professional services staff in the Medical Sciences Divisional Office, primarily the Public and Policy Engagement Facilitator. The Academic Lead will also be expected to engage with other Academic Leads for the Medical Sciences Division (including Policy Engagement and Research Culture); the University Academic Champion for Public and Community Engagement, the University’s Local and Global Engagement Officer, MSD senior leadership, Heads of Departments and central professional services teams. The Academic Lead will also be the Division’s representative on the Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) Advisory Board, the University’s central function to support PCER activities. 

The Academic Lead for Patient Involvement and Public Engagement should have experience of involving patients in research, a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges surrounding patient involvement work, and willingness to support this across the disciplinary breadth of the Medical Sciences Division. 

This appointment is open only to internal applicants holding an existing contract of employment with the University of Oxford for the duration of the appointment. All applicants will need the support of their Head of Department to take on this role which is expected to be undertaken alongside existing duties. The time commitment is expected to be 2 hours per week on average, with variation over the year. The appointment will be made for two years in the first instance.

Applications

To apply for this role please send a covering letter (maximum 3 pages) and CV by email to divoff.jobs@medsci.ox.ac.uk by 12 noon on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

 

Key duties and responsibilities

  1. Provide strategic direction to the Medical Sciences Divisional Office’s approach to supporting patient involvement and broader public and community engagement activity across the Division
  2. Act as an advocate for patient involvement, public engagement and community engagement activities across MSD, and through this also gather insights from departments and researchers at all levels of the barriers, challenges and opportunities with regards to engagement activities.
  3. Provide support to address institutional barriers and other systemic issues that prevent or impede high quality patient involvement and public engagement work.
  4. Work with the Public and Policy Engagement Facilitator, MSDO, and other Academic Leads where relevant, to support the implementation of the division’s strategic PPIE activities
  5. Represent the Medical Science Division’s interests in patient involvement and public and community engagement at an institutional level by contributing to relevant committees and other institutional initiatives as required. This will include being the Division’s representative on the Public and Community Engagement with Research Advisory Board, which meets termly.
  6. Deputise as needed for the Associate Head (Research)  

Selection Criteria 

Essential

  1. An academic/research position in a Department in the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division and an established research profile
  2. Significant experience of involving patients in research and a good understanding of best practice and challenges in this area
  3. An understanding of funder(s) requirements in regards to patient involvement in research
  4. Awareness of and interest in research far from your own specialty, including both clinical and non-clinical disciplines
  5. Experience of effective committee participation (including chairing) and ability to command the respect of colleagues, build consensus and resolve conflicts
  6. A collegiate approach to developing policies and resolving problems
  7. Demonstrable effectiveness in working with professional services colleagues
  8. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities and a clear plan for delivering on the responsibilities of this role alongside others. 

Desirable

  1. Experience of contributing to the strategic development of a Department, Division or University as a whole
  2. Experience of developing and implementing strategies to achieve long-term goals

 


Doctor of Medicine Course Director

Overview of the Course Director role for the Director of Medicine 

The Doctor of Medicine (DM) degree has been redeveloped as a part-time, variable-rate doctoral programme of up to eight years duration, open to doctors employed in the NHS locally or by the University. The degree is academically comparable to a DPhil but the aim is that because research work will be in synergy with clinical duties, a DM student will be able to take significantly less time out from their clinical responsibilities or training. The rate at which research is undertaken will vary, depending upon the needs of the student.

All departments within the Medical Sciences Division will host students on the programme (except for the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences).

Entry requirements for the DM course

Students will be expected to have a medical degree and hold full registration with the UK General Medical Council. If the applicant’s degree is from outside the UK, reference will be made by the admitting body to the GMC advice on overseas qualifications. In addition, applicants will need to hold an appropriate contract of employment at the time of application at ST1 grade or above (including those who have completed their training) within the University of Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Primary Care within Oxfordshire or in an approved NHS Trust from the following list:

  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
  • Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
  • Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
  • Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The DM Course Director will provide overall academic leadership for the course. The role-holder receives support in the furtherance of their responsibilities from, and works in close partnership with, the MSD Graduate School team, particularly the Graduate School Support Officer (Graduate Studies), Graduate School Officer and Assistant Registrar (Graduate School).

The DM Course Director is accountable to the Associate Head of Division (Education) for their performance in their duties.

Core (DGS- equivalent) responsibilities

The Medical Sciences Division provides a detailed role description for DGSs which in many ways is a similar role. The DM Course Director will fulfil the roles set out in this description as relevant. These broadly fall under headings of academic leadership, oversight and administration, and advocacy for DM students to relevant committees of the Medical Sciences Division, the University, and colleges.

Additional key DM responsibilities

  1. Chair the DM Committee. This Committee is responsible to the Medical Sciences Board and meets for shortlisting and where necessary interviews in each of the three terms. It also approves workplans, considers if candidates should be allowed to count prior work and if applicants should be permitted to, exceptionally, submit a thesis by publication.
  2. Work closely with colleagues in Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (OUCAGS).
  3. Act as the “departmental approver” of all key milestone documents (Transfer of Status, Confirmation of Status and Final Examination) for all DM students. Further, to approve extensions, suspensions and deferrals where necessary.
  4. Participate in cohort building actives and supporting students and applicants who are interested in this course.

Candidate profile

    1. A clinical academic who can act as a strong advocate for clinical graduate studies, committed to leading and implementing effective strategies and actions
    2. An academic of appropriate standing (eg PI/Associate Professor/Full Professor) with a contract of employment with the University of Oxford for at least the length of the first term of appointment to this role
    3. Significant experience of successfully supervising DPhil/DM students to completion at the University of Oxford
    4. Possess a collaborative approach, build consensus and lead by doing.

Selection criteria

  1. Experience as a clinical academic
  2. Evidence of commitment to graduate studies
  3. Sound understanding of the challenges facing clinicians in carrying out research
  4. Knowledge of graduate studies matters, e.g.: admissions, fees and studentship funding, pastoral support for graduate students, etc within the Medical Sciences Division and the University of Oxford, or willingness to acquire this knowledge
  5. Evidence of leadership ability in graduate studies or other relevant areas
  6. Demonstrable ability to develop consensus and promote change
  7. Experience of effective committee participation, ideally including experience of chairing.
  8. A collegiate approach to developing policies and resolving problems

Responsibility allowance and other support

This position carries with it an academic responsibility allowance of 50% of the RA Schedule IV (which is currently £12,031 PA so 50% is £6,015.5 PA (as at May 2025)), which will be up uplifted annually by the agreed cost of living increase (due on 1 August). The allowance is paid on a monthly basis.

The DM Course Director will be supported by various members of the Graduate School team and no additional PA support will be provided

Length of appointment

The appointment will be for a three-year period in the first instance, as agreed with the appointee,and may be renewed for a similar period(s). The start date will ideally be in late June 2025 in time for the last gathered field of DM applications for 2025 entry for which the outgoing Director is willing to provide transitional support.

Applications

To apply, please consult the full role description (SSO required) and send an application letter addressing the selection criteria (two pages max), with a full CV and brief confirmation of support for your application from your ‘line manager’ (as this role is expected to be undertaken alongside existing duties), to the Assistant Registrar (Graduate School) christopher.higham@medsci.ox.ac.uk, by noon on Monday 16 June 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to interview (date to be confirmed).

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