Job Description
Job Title: MNDA Chair of Neurology
Posting Start Date: 26/08/2025
Job Id: 1532
School/Department: School of Medicine & Population Health
Work Arrangement: Full Time (On site)
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary per annum (£): £109,725 to £145,478 per annum
Closing Date: 09/09/2025
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

OVERVIEW

This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior clinical academic to join the School of Medicine and Population Health to make a contribution to the major themes of neuroscience research at the University of Sheffield. We are seeking a clinical academic Neurologist with an interest in mechanistic understanding and a translational approach to therapeutic development in motor neuron disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/MND). You will also strengthen the existing research teams and contribute to the high-quality neuroscience research programmes in Sheffield. This new post has arisen from a joint strategic initiative between the University of Sheffield, the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (STH) and the Motor Neuron Disease Association (MNDA) to implement our clinical and research plans in relation to Neurology and motor neuron disease (MND).
You will integrate into the Division of Neuroscience located in the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITRaN), which is one of the three constituent divisions of the School of Medicine and Population Health, and within the Neuroscience Directorate at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The detailed job plan will be organised specifically for the appointed person, in terms of the split between clinical and academic work.
The post represents an exciting opportunity to combine clinical work with a programme of high-quality research within the School of Medicine and Population Health. We are seeking a highly motivated senior clinician scientist with a track record of conducting high quality research in the field of MND and clinical expertise relevant to MND and neuromuscular disorders. You should have a track record of high-quality Neuroscience research. You will be expected to have evidence of academic achievement, for instance in the form of high-quality publications and external grant funding awards. You will hold full registration with the GMC, with a substantial number of years’ experience in clinical service within Neurology.
The post will be supported by excellent facilities for research, office accommodation and access to clinical and academic administration support.
In line with School of Medicine and Population Health policy all academic staff are expected to contribute to teaching including undergraduate MB ChB and post graduate teaching.
The post will be supported by an endowed Professorship from the MND Association, valued at £1.5m over 8 years. A proportion of the endowment can be used if necessary to support the salary of the Professor to allow increased time for research activities.

• Lead an MND research team that conducts innovative and high-quality research and scholarship that is recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigor.
• Conduct innovative and high-quality MND research and scholarship that is recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigor.
• Disseminate research findings through conference presentations and publications in recognised high-quality/peer-reviewed journals. Ensure research activities align with REF, outputs, impact and environment.
• Co-develop funding strategies, pursue income generation and secure research grants from national and international competitive funders.
• Contribute to the research profile of SITraN and the School and its standing nationally and internationally.
• Contribute to the development of an interdisciplinary strategy for clinical research.
• Co-Lead research projects and/or groups, planning work and delegating work to the appropriate staff. Manage / co-manage external research funding.
• Build a relationship with the Burrow family and the Leeds MND Rob Burrows clinic to report on research findings and build collaborations with the Leeds MND team.
• Provide Clinical input and teaching to the Clinical Neurology and other MSc courses.
• Contribute to the undergraduate teaching provided by the Division of Neuroscience in Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the MBChB through ward and clinic-based teaching as required as well as lectures and seminars.
• Facilitate and respond to student feedback, including from course evaluations and staff-student meetings.
• Reflect on own teaching design and delivery and implementing ideas for improving performance.
• Contribute to formulation of teaching policy within the course, School or Faculty as appropriate, and promote the sharing of good practice through attendance at L&T committees.
• Carry out pastoral and supervisory roles for undergraduate and postgraduate. If necessary, refer them to the appropriate authority for guidance.
• Provide educational support and training to junior medical staff.
• Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research.
• You will also contribute to the wider undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes of the School and will also be involved with the assessment of students and mentoring a small group of students. Neuroscience delivers medical undergraduate teaching in Phases 1, 2 and 3, of the undergraduate medical course.
• You will make a full and active contribution to the principles of the ‘Sheffield Academic’. These include the achievement of excellence in applied teaching and research, and scholarly pursuits to make a genuine difference in the subject area and to the University’s achievements as a whole.
• As a member of staff, you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
• You will be required to be sufficiently flexible to undertake your main clinical duties.
• You will have continuing responsibility for patients in your care and the proper functioning of the Directorate. Candidates will join the on-call rota according to the needs of the Department. You may be required to cover for colleagues during periods of absence.
• This post will comprise 10 programmed activities, of which up to 3.5 will be NHS and up to 6.5 will be for the University. The clinical PAs will be made up initially of one clinic per week serving a specialist neuromuscular clinic in Sheffield, as well as time for a weekly ward round, participation in MDT and on call and consultant of the week duties (the latter at half of the level undertaken by full time NHS consultants).
• Provide effective leadership that supports staff development and motivation.
• Increase the external recognition of the School, Hospital and the University through academic achievement and involvement in external professional activities such as refereeing papers, editing major journals, refereeing research grants, external examining, organising or contributing to international conferences, advising on national and international boards and groups or on policy, or being elected to national or international societies.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post
  A full list of duties and responsibilities, including a sample job plan can be viewed at https://docs.google.com/document/d/103i6HaAk_kOGQuex13slKEKcZvJK7C9C/edit#heading=h.u9t0gj2fj93