Research Fellow CPWO

Weekly Working Hours:  37

Fixed Term Contract: End Date:  2 years from start date

Welsh Language:  Not Applicable

Job Description: 

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you. 

About the Role

We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated Research Fellow to work in the Centre for Protecting Women Online funded by Research England. The successful candidate will work closely with Professor Olga Jurasz, Director of the Centre for Protecting Women Online, who is based in the Law School and who leads the Centre’s cross-disciplinary research team. We are looking for a Research Fellow who would seek to play an active part in building a strong, open and innovative research culture in the Centre. The Research Fellow will use their research knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to the design and delivery of an ambitious research programme within the Law & Policy work stream. This includes (but is not limited to) initiating and leading on research projects, applying for external research funding, supervising PhD students, producing high quality outputs, working collaboratively with non-academic partners and stakeholders.

About the Centre

The Centre for Protecting Women Online is a research unit dedicated to understanding and addressing challenges posed to women’s safety online through a novel, interdisciplinary and ambitious research agenda. This will be combined with cross-sectoral, collaborative outputs and interventions which inform law, policy, technology development and practice to reduce online harms suffered by women and girls; minimise anti-social behaviours online whilst promoting pro-social behaviours and help build tech/ software that helps ensure accountability, credibility and helps facilitate justice. The work of the Centre is delivered through five interwoven Work Streams. Please visit our  Centre website and LinkedIn page for further details

Key Responsibilities

The person appointed will be expected to contribute to research and administration within the Centre for Protecting Women Online. This following is not intended as a comprehensive list of duties expected of the post holder or a restrictive definition of the post but is rather a guide. 

• Co-lead the Law & Policy stream at the Centre for Protecting Women Online
• Initiate and build collaborations with external partners and researchers.
• Liaise and work collaboratively with external partners and researchers.
• Initiate and lead on research projects from start to completion. 
• Lead on applications for external research funding relevant to the Law & Policy stream.
• Contribute to the day-to-day operation of the Law & Policy stream within the Centre, under the direction of the Centre’s Director.
• Take a lead role in dissemination of research carried out within the Law & Policy stream of the Centre (including writing academic and non-academic publications; presentation of research findings at conferences and events; communicating research to non-academic and lay audiences via media).
• Lead on design and delivery of knowledge exchange and impact activities.

Working with the Centre’s Director and Work Stream lead to meet the strategic objectives set out in the Centre’s plan

Skills and Experience

Essential Requirements

• A Master’s degree in law or related discipline in a subject relevant to the Centre’s work within the Law & Policy stream.
• Substantial professional experience in policy role, in a sector relevant to the Centre’s work and Experience of influencing policy.
• Knowledge and understanding of the current law and policy landscape concerning women’s online safety. 
• Substantial relevant experience of conducting research in collaboration with non-academic partners and/ or working with non-academic partners.
• Good understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with partnership working within a research environment.
• Understanding of research funding landscape and a strong track record of applying for external research funding.
• Experience of design and successful delivery of knowledge exchange and impact activities.

Please see the Job Description here for a full list of the requirements for the post: JD Link

To apply for this role please submit the following as one document;

• CV
• Personal statement, up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your statement why you’re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required essential and desirable criteria for this role as detailed in the job specification.

Please Note: We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications. Interviews are likely to take place on 30th July 2025.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential.  We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.  We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.

Closing Date:  20 July 2025