Research Assistant/Research Associate

Company description:

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Job description:

Salary: 

Reserach Assistant: £33,002 - £34,610 per annum

Research Associate: £35,608 - £37,694 per annum

The Role

Understanding what works, where, and why (and for whom) is a key focus of a new multi-university consortium: the ESRC-funded Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) Centre. Bringing together five universities in the North of England with partners in the policy, innovation, business, local government, community, and voluntary sectors, JUST seeks to accelerate understanding of a just transition by coordinating research into action at all levels of society.

The role holder will principally be responsible for carrying out place-based case-study research in North East England.

In line with the JUST Centre's commitment to learning "what works, where, and why (and for whom)" to accelerate a just transition to low-carbon living, the applicant will identify and investigate examples of place-based transition initiatives in North East England. This work will involve using mixed methods to understand how and why the identified initiatives were successful and what lessons they may hold for the wider region and the UK. The role may also include participatory action research (PAR), partnering with local actors to develop and scale up transition initiatives.

This work will be carried out in collaboration with the Centre's North East Place Lead, Professor Danny MacKinnon. Beyond this key role, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to broader research across the Centre, including collaborative work across the five study regions (West Cumbria, Northeast England, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and West Yorkshire), engagement with one or more of the Centre's other key themes, and participation in Centre-wide activities such as workshops and impact-oriented events. This is a unique opportunity to inform the work programme of an exciting new interdisciplinary centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (www.JUST.ac.uk).

The successful applicant will be based at Newcastle University, joining the vibrant Geography unit and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development (CURDS) in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. They will be part of a broader community of researchers across the five universities comprising the JUST Centre—Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle—as well as the Young Foundation (impact partner).

JUST is founded on principles of justice, particularly intersectional approaches to addressing injustice and inequality. We aim for the composition of the JUST research team to reflect these principles. Accordingly, we actively seek to recruit in ways that maximize the diversity of the Centre's membership and strongly encourage applications from individuals from backgrounds historically excluded from research institutions. We also welcome applicants who wish to take on this position part-time.

This post provides an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate to work with leading researchers in a multi-disciplinary research centre and to develop an independent research profile. If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Prof. Danny MacKinnon (danny.mackinnon@ncl.ac.uk).

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