Research Associate, Science Communication

Research Associate - Science Communication

About us: The Science Communication Unit (SCU) at UWE Bristol is recognised for internationally leading research, creative approaches to practice and outstanding teaching. SCU research seeks to bring science and society closer together, and as such we have a core interest in developing research which is societally-relevant and developed in conjunction with those who practice science communication. Our portfolio of activities is extensive, including innovative approaches to engaging diverse publics with science.

We now have a vacancy to join the unit as a Research Associate for a new BA\Leverhulme Small Research Grant project starting in 2023, ‘INSIGHT: Ethical Best Practice In Science Communication And Engagement’ (SRG22\220481) supported by the Leverhulme Trust. INSIGHT aims to identify how researchers and practitioners communicating and engaging about science and health related topics consider the ethical dimensions of their communication. By conducting two stakeholder workshops and two focus groups (one in Bristol, one in Oxford) we will understand more about the role that ethics plays in communication and engagement with research. A series of interviews (10-15) in UK academic institutions, and in museums, science centres, and other informal learning spaces, will contribute to the project gathering UK-based evidence on the ethical dimensions of science communication and public engagement with science and health topics.

The project is being led by Dr Clare Wilkinson, Co-Director of the Science Communication Unit in collaboration with Professor Mike Parker, Director of the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities (WEH)/Ethox Centre, University of Oxford. We are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to work as part of the research team on this project between April 2023 and January 2024.

The SCU forms part of the School of Applied Sciences, which is a very proud recipient of an Athena SWAN Silver Award and our commitment to creating a culture for gender equality is reflected in a number of ongoing actions related to workload management, flexible working and career development within the Department.

About you: Candidates will be expected to have expertise and experience in  order to undertake research associated to this project (co-facilitation of focus groups, and conducting of interviews), support stakeholder workshops, and contribute to data analysis. The Research Associate will also contribute to the development of outputs and dissemination of the project findings.  We are looking for candidates with knowledge of qualitative research methods and you may have a background in science communication, social sciences, ethics or a related discipline. Existing knowledge and/or experience in science communication would be beneficial but we can also consider candidates with the requisite research skills who have a willingness to learn and engage with science communication as a discipline during the project.

This post is based at our lively Frenchay campus.

In addition to progressive pay rates, UWE Bristol offers a wide range of staff benefits including:

• a generous holiday allowance of 27 days (pro rata)
• up to 12.5 bank holiday/closure days per year
• flexible working
• excellent defined benefit pension schemes
• access to employee assistance programme
• savings on purchases via Wider Wallet scheme
• option to participate in the cycle to work scheme
• family friendly policies
• onsite nursery

Further information

This post is a nine-month contract for one day per week/0.2FTE (1^st April 2023-1^st January 2024).

If you would like an informal discussion this role, please contact SCU Co-Director and INSIGHT Project Lead: Clare.Wilkinson@uwe.ac.uk

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