Calling Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), pharmacists, clinical scientists, methodologists and other healthcare professionals working in the NHS who would like to develop hands-on clinical research skills.
The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Emergency and Acute Care (HRC), in collaboration with the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Manchester (BRC), have several exciting opportunities for Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals (AHP’s), pharmacists, clinical scientists, methodologists and other healthcare professionals working in the NHS to undertake backfilled clinical research placements.
What is this opportunity?
The HRC in Emergency and Acute Care, in collaboration with the NIHR BRC: Manchester, is offering you the chance to experience what working in research is like through short, flexible placements. Employers will also receive backfill funding of up to £10,000 per participant to release staff for the duration of the placement.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Work with highly skilled scientists and researchers who are essential for the discovery of new ways to advance treatments to improve people’s health.
- Gain first-hand experience of how clinical research is undertaken in the NHS.
- Collaborate with senior clinical academics in delivering a short research project.
- Enhance your knowledge of experimental medicine, in a clinical research context.
- Explore opportunities for further engagement in clinical research.
Details of what projects/placements are on offer can be found below.
Eligibility Criteria
The scheme is open to healthcare professionals and academics that are early on in their career (NHS Agenda for Change Band 8a and below/University grade 7 and below) who have limited or no formal research experience but have a keen interest in research and improving patient outcomes. Staff groups include:
- Nurses and Midwives.
- Allied Health Professional’s including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Paramedics, Podiatrists, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Radiographers and Speech & Language Therapists.
- Other healthcare professionals including (but not limited to) Pharmacists, Psychologists, Healthcare Science professionals.
- Academics and methodologists in the areas of (but not limited to) Health Economics, (Health) Data Science, Behavioural Psychology, Qualitative Research, Statistics and Health Informatics.
Applicants will require approval from their line manager to apply for the scheme and successful candidates must be able to begin their allocated placement no later than January 2027.
Applicants must not be part of a similar scheme or studying for a PhD or other research-based course.
How do I apply?
If you are interested in applying, please complete the application form (below) by Wednesday 29 July 2026 at 9am.
You should choose a project from the list below that you are most interested in. The project topics are aligned to the HRC Research Themes with the allocation of a practice and/or academic supervisor.
You can propose your own project idea and academic supervisor (if you have one) for us to review and consider. Please note that your proposal must align with one of the HRC Themes to support this.
The employer support form needs to be completed by your authorising manager and submitted with your application form. Without signed consent, via this form, your application will not be considered.
Applications are encouraged from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender, gender expression, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status, and all awards are made on merit.
To find out more about the project, please click the links below:
- Can bedside ultrasound of skeletal muscle in critically ill adults predict long-term functional recovery from sepsis
- Tracking foetal position during maternal labour and delivery (Baby-Track)
- Guided Insertion For Tracheostomy (GIFT)
- Tracheostomy Education using Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence
The project topics are aligned to the HRC Research Themes with the allocation of a practice and/or academic supervisor.
You can propose your own project idea and academic supervisor (if you have one) for us to review and consider. Please note that your proposal must align with one of the HRC Themes to support this.
Important Dates
Application Milestones
Application Deadline
Project Supervisors to meet with candidates
Offers Made
Placement Start Date
Date
Wednesday 29 July at 9am
August 2026
September 2026
No later than January 2027
Further Information
Please get in touch with Lisa Murray, Education & Training Lead Manager at lisa.murray@mft.nhs.uk if you have any general questions.
If you have any questions related to a specific project, please contact the supervisor listed in the project list.