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Overview

The University of Sheffield, in collaboration with NHS England North East and Yorkshire and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, is pleased to announce that an Academic Clinical Lecturer post in Medical Oncology has been awarded to the School of Medicine and Population Health at The University of Sheffield as part of the prestigious UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC)/Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) integrated academic training pathway. The post forms an integral part of the Medical Oncology clinical academic training programme led by the Academic Training Lead for Medical Oncology, Professor Syed A Hussain.

We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals with the potential to excel in both their clinical and academic training, and who have the ambition to be part of the next generation of academic clinicians in Oncology.

Information about the structure and management of the School is available on our website, The School of Medicine and Population Health.

The post represents an exciting opportunity that is designed for individuals seeking to integrate advanced clinical training in Medical Oncology with a significant postdoctoral research component. The post offers a dedicated 50% of time for clinical duties and 50% for academic research, facilitated through a rotational system, with dedicated periods devoted to research. The post has the required educational and staffing approval and will come with an Academic National Training Number [NTN(A)] in medical oncology.

The post is ideally suited to individuals wishing to build an academic career in Medical Oncology, and particularly those who have already undertaken research and who now wish to continue to develop their research career whilst pursuing further clinical training.

Further details of the NIHR IAT pathway can be found at:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/explore-nihr/academy-programmes/integrated-academic-training.htm

Objectives of the Integrated Academic Training Programme

1. To obtain a CCT or undertake post CCT training (as appropriate) in Medical Oncology

2. To undertake a programme of research

3. To identify an area of academic and clinical interest upon which to base an application for an externally funded fellowship or a Clinician Scientist Award

The Postgraduate Medical Dean has confirmed that this post has been approved for specialty training. The post has the requisite educational and staffing approval for specialty training leading to a CCT and Specialty Registration with the General Medical Council https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/curricula/medical-oncology-curriculum Advice will be sought from the SAC as necessary.

Please be sure to attach your CV and the completed NIHR Supplementary Questions to the online application. Additional information and forms can be downloaded at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1i7-uG4Z659z1pzlKyEn5DXSFWBuwQEkW

Main duties and responsibilities

Key points are made in the description that follows, but this is not exhaustive and the applicant should refer to “2025 NIHR Clinical Lectureship (Medical Oncology) Guidance For Recruitment and Appointment” - https://www.nihr.ac.uk/2025-clinical-lectureships-medicine-recruitment-and-selection-guidance#tab-399601 for a comprehensive description.

The purpose of a Medical Oncology CL is to provide a clinical and academic training environment for an academic medical oncologist to further develop their postdoctoral research portfolio and establish themselves as an independent researcher and leader in their chosen field. Applicants for a NIHR CL must be able to demonstrate that they have outstanding potential for development as a clinical academic in research and/or educational research.

This new lectureship is a key part of the NHS England (NHSE)/National Institute for Health Research Trainee Programme of Integrated Academic Training, providing a comprehensive and supportive environment for developing clinical academic skills. Successful candidates will have the chance to work alongside internationally recognised clinicians and researchers, gaining exposure to cutting-edge practices and research methodologies. We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals who possess a strong aptitude for both clinical work and academic inquiry, and who are committed to becoming future leaders in the field of Medical Oncology. The Academic Clinical Lectureship (ACL) programme in medical oncology is a joint initiative of the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and NHS England, Northeast and Yorkshire.

Shape the Future of Medical Oncology: Academic Clinical Lectureship in Medical Oncology

This Academic Clinical Lecturer (ACL) post in Medical Oncology, offered by the University of Sheffield in partnership with NHS England, Northeast and Yorkshire and Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, provides an exceptional platform for a talented trainee to become an independent research leader and drive advancements in Medical Oncology.

The primary goal is to empower you to develop your postdoctoral research portfolio within a supportive clinical and academic environment. This unique opportunity offers a dedicated 50% clinical and 50% academic time allocation, facilitated through a flexible rotational system tailored to your development.

As an NIHR Clinical Lecturer, you will:

• Develop a nationally/internationally recognised research niche aligned with the School's Research Strategy.
• Secure competitive, peer-reviewed funding to fuel your research projects.
• Achieve high-impact academic contributions through publications in leading scientific and specialty journals.
• Strategically obtain funding for senior research fellowships (e.g., Intermediate/Advanced).
• Gain expertise in presenting research through academic seminars and lectures.
• Master time-management skills to effectively balance clinical, research, and teaching responsibilities.
• Contribute to the education of future healthcare professionals through undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
• Mentor and assess students, shaping the next generation of clinicians and researchers.
• Lead and contribute to research that will advance medical oncology. You will be expected to complete your medical oncology training from within this post.  You must present a compelling and feasible research programme with clear aims, a practical delivery strategy, and a robust funding plan for both the lectureship tenure and beyond.
• You will work flexibly, alternating between clinical training modules and dedicated research/teaching time, with a job plan agreed upon collaboratively with senior academic and clinical staff. Active participation in clinical governance and audit programmes will be supported with training. You will also maintain a logbook of cases for appraisal, as per the Specialty Advisory Committee guidelines in Medical Oncology.
• Embracing the ideals of the ‘Sheffield Academic’, you will contribute fully as a teacher, researcher, and leader.

Medical oncology research

Priority research themes for 2024-25

Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, Weston Park Hospital (WPH), Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Weston Park Sheffield Cancer Centre.

The Department of Oncology and Metabolism at the University of Sheffield has an extensive research programme from basic science through to clinical trials. WPH is one of only three purpose-built oncology hospitals in the UK, with excellent facilities for clinical research.  The Lectureship will be hosted by the Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology (main focus clinical trials and early drug development, bone oncology, patient-focused research and including the effects of ageing and comorbidities in cancer patients via collaboration with The Healthy Lifespan Institute. (HELSI).

The Department has an international reputation in bone oncology (metastasis to bone and late effects of cancer treatments on the skeleton) and has been highly involved in the development of bone-targeted therapy, including the bisphosphonates, denosumab and radium-223. We also have special interests in the scheduling of cancer treatment to optimise quality of life, especially relevant in older patients. In addition, Sheffield has a strong reputation in Bladder cancer research, Renal cancer, lung cancer and melanoma research and is one of the few specialist centres in the country which treats uveal melanoma. The Department also has strengths in drug development, for example, with the PARP inhibitors, which were developed in Sheffield and have now become part of standard treatment. On the laboratory side, the Department has a strong reputation in genetic instability and DNA repair, anti-angiogenic therapy, immunotherapy and tumour targeting.

In 2018, the University of Sheffield (UoS) announced the creation of HELSI, The Healthy Lifespan Institute. HELSI is a university-wide institute, drawing together collaborators and substantial grant income (£>77M) across multiple departments and multiple disciplines, including medicine, engineering and social sciences, including psychology to facilitate and support high-level research into ageing and longevity. The institute will foster new and exciting collaborations, strengthening our grant funding power and leading to novel and practice-changing research.  The University of Sheffield has a wealth of expertise around older age/healthy ageing research across multiple departments, and the applicant may draw on expertise in psychology, social sciences, primary care, medical oncology, health economics and decision sciences, mixed methods research, statistics and trial design, laboratory-based expertise including genomics, proteomics and epigenomics, oncology, primary care and surgery. Within the university, we collaborate with multiple other disciplines including Insigneo, Computational Biology, the Dept of Automated Systems, the Charles Clifford Dental School, and externally with Sheffield Hallam University. 

The Weston Park Strategy for the next 5 years has a strong focus in further developing research excellence and a state-of-the-art Oncology School/Education Centre.

The Department makes a substantial contribution to teaching in the undergraduate medical curriculum. 

The School of Medicine and Population Health: A Hub for Academic Excellence

As one of the three leading Schools within the Faculty of Health at The University of Sheffield, the School of Medicine and Population Health offers a vibrant and supportive environment for academic clinical training. We have a strong track record, having hosted Academic Clinical Lectureships in over 35 specialties.

Our commitment to fostering academic careers is further demonstrated by our consistent success in securing NIHR support for both ACFs and ACLs. You will benefit from strong career progression opportunities within our collaborative, interdisciplinary health service research teams.

The School is at the forefront of innovative interdisciplinary training, particularly in NIHR priority themes such as Older Adults with Complex Care and Dementia (for ACFs), and Oncology, GP, and Surgery (for ACLs).

A Comprehensive Pathway for Clinical Academic Development

We offer structured clinical academic training at all stages of a medical career:

• Medical student SSC modules alongside established projects
• One-year intercalated BMedSci degrees
• 4-month foundation year 2 attachments
• Three-year academic clinical fellow posts
• Full-time MD/PhD research fellowships
• Four-year clinical lecturer posts

Research Environment

The research component of this ACL will be based in the Division of Clinical Medicine, providing access to supervision from leading Professors and Clinical Academics in Medical Oncology. You will also benefit from the support of experienced medical educationalists and have access to methodological expertise in academic programme development, assessment, and educational research skills.

Researchers within the Division of Clinical Medicine are actively engaged in national and international collaborations, driving innovation in education and programme delivery. The Division boasts expertise in early phase trials and cutting-edge  clinical trials and translational studies.

As an ACL, you will have the opportunity to contribute to existing medical oncology research projects or develop your own research interests.

The Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology has a strong internationally competitive record of clinical research and publications in high-ranking journals. The Unit has attracted funding from a wide range of organisations including NIHR, Cancer Research UK, MRC, Breast Cancer Now, Prostate Cancer UK, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR), Weston Park Cancer Charity (WPCC) and a range of industrial sources.  We have also previously received programme funding from the Department of Health and Cancer Research UK (CR-UK) for the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. We are especially active in translational research, including trials of new drugs or new combinations of drugs in these areas, some of which have been developed within our own laboratories. We are recognised as an international centre of excellence in bone oncology.  

The current clinical staff of the Unit are engaged in running a range of Phase I, II and III trials and several large national studies are run from Sheffield. Major interests of the current clinical staff include bone oncology and urological tumours (Prof Brown, Prof Hussain), lung cancer, melanoma and sarcoma (Prof Danson, Dr Young), myeloma (Dr Chantry). Major interests of the Unit’s scientific staff include mechanisms of bone metastasis (Profs Holen and Dr Ottewell), genomics and molecular aspects of myeloma (Dr Lawson). We also have an interest in immunotherapies and markers of both toxicity and drug resistance as well as late effects of cancer therapies (Prof Hussain, Prof Brown, Dr Bird, Prof Greenfield). We have several early-phase trials providing opportunities to trainees (Prof Danson, Prof Hussain, Prof Brown).

The research element of the ACL is flexible and will be agreed upon with your specialty lead.

Clinical Training

This 4-year program offers comprehensive clinical training based at Weston Park Cancer centre, Sheffield Teaching Hospital in South Yorkshire, with clinics also held at surrounding district general and teaching hospitals. You will dedicate 50% of your time to clinical activities, gaining experience in different tumour sites across a population of approximately 2 million.

You will be an integral member of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), collaborating with colleagues from various specialties. The ACL will participate in standard postgraduate education, audit, and teaching activities. This post does not involve any out-of-hours work.

Support for Clinical Progression

In the unlikely event that a post-holder does not meet the expected clinical competencies, support and guidance will be provided in line with standard specialty medicine training procedures. If academic competencies are not met or research funding is not secured, the trainee will be supported in transitioning back to a clinical training post. This will be discussed proactively with the Training Programme Director (TPD) through established appraisal and mentoring systems for academic trainees. While a specific post cannot be guaranteed, every effort will be made to facilitate suitable placements within local training schemes.

Person Specification

Applicants for this post will be required to meet the relevant Clinical and Academic eligibility criteria for the appropriate specialty and level listed at: 

https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/person-specifications/person-specifications-2025

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Further Information

Grade: Clinical Lecturer £49,909 to £70,425 per annum (pro rata for part time).

Duration: Fixed term for a maximum of 4 years or until CCT is reached, whichever is the sooner. 

Line manager: Professor of Medical Oncology

For informal enquiries about this job contact:
Professor Syed A Hussain, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Sheffield & Honorary Consultant, Sheffield Teaching Hospital E-mail: syed.hussain@sheffield.ac.uk

Training Programme Director (clinical):

Dr Fiona Taylor, Training Programme Director for Medical Oncology in the Yorkshire and Humber deanery. E-mail: fiona.taylor9@nhs.net

Academic Training Programme Director

Professor Janet Brown, NIHR IAT Academic Training Programme Director, University of Sheffield. E-mail: j.e.brown@sheffield.ac.uk

For further information about the Academic Clinical Lectureship programme, please visit https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/postdoctoral/clinical-lectureship

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in December 2025. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact foh-staffing@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave, including bank holidays and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Criminal record

An enhanced with barred lists DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role (opens in a new window).

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).

Closing Date : 07/12/2025 

The University of Sheffield is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our staff and students. It is an offence to apply for this role if you have been barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. Applicants will be subject to relevant safeguarding checks in line with the requirements of each role and the guidance from the Department for Education.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
- Childcare disqualification
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Medical
- Online and social media
- Eligibility to work
- Satisfactory references
- Suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Safeguarding policy

Employment of ex-offenders policy