Director of the King’s NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF) & Clinical Professor - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Director of the King’s NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF) & Clinical Professor - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

King’s College London is one of the world’s leading universities, internationally recognised for research excellence, education, and its commitment to improving health and society. Through King’s Health Partners (KHP) – our Academic Health Sciences Centre uniting Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts – we combine world‑leading research and education with an exceptional breadth of mental and physical healthcare. This partnership spans local community services in southeast London as well as specialist, internationally recognised expertise, creating one of the UK’s most dynamic environments for translational research.

At the heart of this ecosystem sits the NIHR King’s Clinical Research Facility (CRF), a flagship centre for early translational and experimental medicine. With state‑of‑the‑art facilities, including advanced EEG and neurophysiology suites, immersive virtual‑reality environments, monitored clinical trial beds and both 3T and Hyperfine MRI, the CRF delivers some of the most complex and high‑intensity studies in the country. Uniquely positioned within KHP, it bridges disciplines by bringing together Europe’s largest provider of mental health care at SLaM and one of the UK’s most significant neuroscience centres at King’s College Hospital, enabling studies that explore the deep interconnections between brain, behaviour and disease.

We are now seeking an outstanding clinical academic to lead the CRF into its next phase of growth and ambition. The Director will be an experienced clinician–scientist of international standing, bringing vision, collaborative leadership and the ability to unite multidisciplinary teams around a shared purpose: to accelerate discovery, deliver world‑class experimental medicine and ensure King’s remains at the forefront of translational research nationally and internationally. Working closely with key stakeholders across the partnership, the role will be central to aligning strategy and enabling a seamless pipeline from discovery science to first‑in‑human and early‑phase clinical studies across the full KHP network.

The successful candidate will bring a compelling track record of innovative, interdisciplinary research, substantial grant acquisition and high‑impact publications. They will have the strategic insight to shape the future direction of the CRF, the operational acumen to ensure safe and effective delivery of complex studies, and the ambassadorial strength to build and sustain powerful partnerships across academia, the NHS, industry and NIHR infrastructure. In a Professorship capacity, they will also contribute to the academic mission of the IoPPN through research, education and leadership.

We are particularly interested in candidates from neurology, neurosurgery, neurophysiology, stroke medicine, neuroradiology, neurorehabilitation, neuropsychiatry or related specialties.

This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the UK’s most important translational research assets, shaping its strategy, strengthening its partnerships and ensuring its vital contribution to improving patient care. We are looking for a visionary, collaborative and energetic leader – someone who thrives on building teams, forging connections and turning scientific ideas into clinical breakthroughs.

For further information about the role please visit the  job description and to apply for this role, please go to the  King’s College London Job Opportunities page and submit the specified documentation. Informal enquiries may be made to the King’s Search Team; please contact  either Sarah Fraser or   Robyn Eade at  [email protected] .

The advert will close on  Wednesday 1st April 2026 . The selection process will include a presentation and panel interview. Interviews and assessments will be held from end of April to early June (first stage interviews currently scheduled for Thursday 30th April and final stage interviews Tuesday 2nd June).

King’s is committed to equality, diversity  and inclusion, and through this appointment it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities. We particularly encourage applications from women, people from black and minority ethnic communities, the LGBTQ+ community and from disabled people.