Research Integrity Officer

Start Date: 25th March (or sooner if available)
End Date: 31st July 2019
Location: Ravensbury House, Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, B15 3TN
Hours: Monday to Friday - 37 hours per week

Job Purpose

To ensure that the University fulfils obligations with respect to all aspects of research integrity and research data compliance, including GDPR and wider research governance requirements.

One post-holder will work across the Faculty of Health Education and Life Sciences to ensure all research conducted within the C-SCHARR and C-SPACE research centres, meets the required standards of compliance and governance, including the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research.

The second post-holder will work across the City Centre Campus to ensure that all research conducted within ADM, BLSS and CEBE and which involves research subject or participants is appropriately managed and secured in terms of GDPR compliance.

Main activities and responsibilities

· To provide proactive and reactive support for research governance and legal compliance.

· Work with the Faculty research compliance lead to develop infrastructure to support researchers to deliver research of high integrity and quality in accordance with relevant laws and policy frameworks.

· To support the University's data controller and wider Legal Services team to ensure all data is collected, processed and managed in line with current data protection legislation.

· To work with the University's Research Ethics Officer and the Compliance Team within the Research, Innovation and Enterprise.

· To manage the loan and return of research-specific voice-recorders, laptops and other equipment used by research staff and PGR students to ensure compliance with data protection legislation.

· To create project-specific folders in the University's electronic data storage system and allocate relevant permissions to users.

· To manage the allocation of physical storage lockers, keys and keypad codes to researchers who need to store securely physical data and research equipment.

· To collect, log and file securely Consent Forms deposited by research project participants.

· To review, write and implement processes and procedures on research governance and legal compliance.

· To undertake research compliance auditing across both staff and doctoral studies in accordance with university policy to ensure compliance.

· Use initiative to streamline and improve ways of working across all teams to ensure effective compliance and risk management

Person Specification

· A good honours degree or equivalent professional experience

· Basic knowledge of research governance in relevant subject domains including the arts, humanities, social sciences, computer science and engineering (City Centre post-holder) and education, health, sports sciences and life-sciences (City South post-holder)

· Understanding and knowledge of data protection laws including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 and preceding Data Protection Act (DPA)

· A good understanding of the need for confidentiality and control of access to data collected from research subject / participants to ensure compliance with data protection legislation and research ethics considerations.

· Ability to follow clearly defined procedures to configure; transfer and delete data from voice-recorders and similar electronic equipment.

· Ability to follow defined procedures to create new electronic project data folders; transfer data to these and allocate user permissions to the folders according to clearly defined protocols.

· Strong administrative and organisational skills with diligent attention to detail.

. Proven ability in building good working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders through collaborative cross-team working.

· Results oriented and problem-solving approach to work and challenges whilst making effective decisions.

· Proven ability to work to deadlines and manage workload effectively, working under own initiative

· Adaptable and flexible approach.

· Focus on continuous improvement with the ability to contribute towards a culture of innovation

· Ability to understand complex projects and areas of work to provide appropriate advice on reducing risk.

· Experience of devising and implementing new processes to advance and improve compliance, including design and delivery of compliance training to relevant staff undertaking research.

Additional Key Requirements

· This is not an IT-specific role but a good understanding of, and familiarity with, Microsoft OneDrive for Business, Microsoft Sharepoint or similar data storage and sharing mechanisms is essential.