Research Officer

Essex Law School seeks a talented researcher to join a British Academy APEX Award-funded project on reparations for the Cauca River in Colombia.

The role involves analysing national and international legal reparative frameworks and the rights of nature to strengthen the reparations process. You will examine the Special Jurisdiction for Peace’s landmark recognition of the Cauca River as a war victim, and assess the applicability of existing reparative models to natural entities.Collaboration with colleagues in Law and Life Sciences will be central to translating ecological findings into legal recommendations.

Responsibilities include supporting research and public engagement, engaging with knowledge exchange, planning and delivering a workshop in Colombia and liaising with project partners and stakeholders.We welcome applicants with expertise in international law, environmental law, transitional justice, or related fields.

This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to pioneering interdisciplinary work on legal reparations and the rights of nature. 

Duties of the Role 

• To support delivery of the research objectives defined by the British Academy APEX Award
• To conduct legal research concerning legal reparative frameworks and rights of nature, analysing current developments and producing regular research reports
• To meet regularly with the principal investigator to discuss findings, align objectives and discuss future steps
• To understand, interpret and integrate scientific data with the legal analysis in order to co-produce an expert legal report, a peer-reviewed publication, a white paper, and communications to international institutions.
• To communicate and collaborate with scientists, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to the production of research
• To liaise with partners, collaborators, and help organize workshops and outreach events

Qualifications & Education

• Academic background in Law or Human Rights (essential), which may be demonstrated at undergraduate or Master’s level.
• A Master’s degree in Law or a field related to the project (essential)

Knowledge & Expertise

• Strong knowledge of international law, transitional justice, and rights of nature (essential).
• Familiarity with legal reparative frameworks in national and international contexts (desirable).
• Awareness of interdisciplinary research methods and qualitative research (desirable).

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research resulting in high-quality outputs (essential).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (essential).
• Ability to work effectively in Spanish, both written and spoken (essential).
• Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team (essential).
• Experience in organising academic workshops, conferences, or similar events (desirable).
• Experience liaising and collaborating with a range of stakeholders, including international partners (desirable).

Other Requirements

• Willingness and ability to travel internationally, including to Colombia, for project-related activities (essential).
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in research and academic practice (essential).
• Flexibility to work within the requirements of a fixed-term, grant-funded project (essential).

Please use the 'Apply' button to read further information about this role including the full job description and person specification which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role. You will also find details of how to make your application here.

Our website http://www.essex.ac.uk contains more information about the University of Essex. If you have a disability and would like information in a different format, please email resourcing@essex.ac.uk.

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