PhD Researcher in Sociology

Post status: 4 years full time

Reports to: Associate Professor Camilla Devitt

Closing date: 23:00 (GMT), 12^th June 2026

Please note that Garda vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for a post.

Post summary

The candidate will join the PhD programme at the Department of Sociology of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland’s leading university which is located on a historic campus in the heart of Dublin. The Department will provide all logistic, academic and intellectual support and integrate the successful candidate into a vibrant doctoral programme at TCD. PhD students at the department are embedded in the interdisciplinary context of the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy which also includes economics, political science, and philosophy.

PhD students in Sociology enjoy a wide range of training opportunities. For example, students participate in a research training programme in the department and have the opportunity to join masters level courses (including courses on research methods). Moreover, our PhD students are supported to attend high-quality international workshops and summer schools.

PhD students are expected to collaborate closely with their supervisors and will produce a PhD based on four papers of a publishable standard. PhD students may also have the opportunity to gain teaching experience by providing support within our undergraduate programme (up to 4 hours per week during term time, subject to availability). All teaching-related work is paid separately in addition to the stipend.

This PhD position forms part of an interdisciplinary research programme at Trinity College Dublin, (TCD). Hereditary cardiac conditions are among the leading causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in children, adolescents, and young adults. The abruptness of SCD in otherwise healthy individuals creates profound psychological, social, and cultural reverberations for surviving relatives, as well as the surrounding communities. These conditions represent both a clinical and human challenge, situated at the intersection of physiology, identity, family life, and social relations. This project responds to that complexity by adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates clinical cardiology, cellular biology, psychology and sociology, advanced biomedical engineering, and imaging technologies.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research environment with Primary Investigators (PI) representing social sciences, psychology clinical cardiology, biomedical engineering. The PI’s are key experts in their fields of research and based at TCD, St. James’s University Hospital, Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin and the clinic for hereditary cardiac conditions (Cardiac Risk in The Young, CRY) at Tallaght University Hospital.

Work Package 3: Lived Experience and Socio‑Cultural Contexts takes advantage of a large collection of affected families which have already been clinically and genetically characterised. It focuses on how individuals and families understand, narrate, and manage inherited cardiac risk, which can have a significant impact on their quality of life and disease outcomes. Using qualitative/mixed methods, we will examine how cultural norms, family dynamics, and social relations shape experiences of diagnosis, surveillance, and lifestyle restrictions. This includes attention to cultural narratives of illness, intergenerational responsibility, and identity formation under genetic risk. The experiences of various social groups will be analysed to understand how socio-demographic characteristics such as socio-economic status, ethnicity and migratory background might influence norms, beliefs, attitudes, behaviour and experience. It will investigate the social origin of norms, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour including the role of social networks and lived experience with healthcare systems. Semi-structured interviews will also be conducted with relevant healthcare professionals to gain an understanding of their perspectives on the risk management of various groups.

Funding information: TRDA – Trinity Research Doctorate Award

Major research activities conducted by the PhD candidate will involve:

• Reviewing the relevant literature;
• Designing a range of research instruments including, for example, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, creative participatory methods and surveys;
• Engaging in summarising and interpreting results for social science audiences with policy implications;
• Discussing findings with inter-disciplinary team from psychology, medicine and engineering.
• Presenting work in front of different audiences at a local, national and international level in conferences or networks; and
• Publishing four journal articles arising from the study with the Supervisor.

Standard duties and responsibilities of the post

• Critical, systematic and analytical review of relevant literature for the project
• Writing academic pieces (articles/dissertation chapters) in English
• Conducting empirical research using qualitative or mixed methods techniques
• Actively writing and submitting research papers for publication and contributing to joint projects or related submissions with the PhD supervisor(s)
• Organising and attending meetings, workshops and conferences
• Disseminating academic work to specialised and general audiences

Person specification

Qualifications

• MA, MSc or MPhil in Sociology, Social Policy or in any cognate fields (thesis should be either defended or submitted)

Essential research skills

• Advanced qualitative skills
• Basic knowledge of survey design
• Basic (preferably solid) knowledge in the field of sociology of health or other related field

Other essential knowledge and skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Willingness to contribute proactively to the development of the project
• Strong motivation to publish in academic journals
• Good organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work effectively in a team

Application procedure

Informal enquiries are welcome and can be made directly to Associate Professor Camilla Devitt, Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin; devittca@tcd.ie.

To apply, candidates should submit the following via email to Camilla Devitt, Associate Professor (devittca@tcd.ie) in a single pdf:

1. A motivation letter clearly indicating motivation and background (max. 1 page)
2. A full curriculum vitae
3. A concise research statement no longer than 1500 words excluding references (see more below)
4. The names and contact details of two referees (with email addresses included);
5. At least one example of your written work (in English and including some data analysis) that shows your analytical and writing skills in a social science discipline.

Applications must indicate “PhD Application in Sociology” in the subject line.

Research statement

A short research statement is to be submitted alongside the usual application documents (motivation, CV, references, writing sample). The research statement demonstrates a candidate’s research experience and skills in research as well as a brief outline of their research interests in relation to the project. The statement should be no longer than 1500 words (excluding references).

Further Information for Applicants

URL Link to Area: www.tcd.ie

URL Link to Human Resources: www.tcd.ie/hr

Institutional Background Information
The Department of Sociology

Sociology is a member of the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, one of 24 Schools within Trinity College. The Department’s principal research clusters are: Migration, Identities and Diversity; Comparative Inequalities, Education and Families; Power, Conflict and Resistance; Digitalisation and Social Networks.

Department staff are highly international and our research combines advanced quantitative methods applied to real-world data with the use of sophisticated and diverse qualitative methodologies. Our research links to several College priority research themes: 'International Integration' centred within Trinity Research in Social Science (TRISS), 'Identities in Transformation' and 'Inclusive Society' within the Trinity Long Room Hub (TLRH) and ‘Ageing’ within the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TILDA). The Department has a long-standing collaboration with Ireland’s premier research institute, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and has strong links with other disciplines such as Medicine, Psychology, Immunology and Neuroscience.

The Department has an active postgraduate programme. It is home to an MSc in Comparative Social Change delivered jointly with University College Dublin, as well as an MPhil in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict. It has a structured PhD programme combining advanced methodological training with transferable skills workshops. There are around 15 PhD students and our doctoral graduates have positions in academic institutions, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

Further information on the Department of Sociology is available at: www.tcd.ie/sociology

School of Social Sciences and Philosophy

The School of Social Sciences and Philosophy was formed in 2005 and comprises the Departments of Economics, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology, together with the Policy Institute. With over 45 full-time academic staff, the School has an international reputation in research and is committed to the dissemination of its knowledge and expertise to the benefit of the wider community, with the Policy Institute providing an important channel for policy analysis and evaluation. The School is home to the unique undergraduate degree in PPES (Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology). It also contributes to undergraduate degrees in Business, Economic and Social Studies (this includes Political Science and Sociology), Philosophy, History and Political Science, Philosophy and Political Science, Law and Political Science, Geography and Political Science, Sociology and Social Policy, and European Studies. Over 100 graduate students are conducting research across the four disciplines.

Further information on the School is available at: www.tcd.ie/ssp

Trinity College Dublin

Founded in 1592, Trinity College is at the nexus of tradition and innovation, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across 24 schools and three faculties: arts, humanities, and social sciences; engineering, maths and science; and health sciences. Spread across 47 acres in Dublin’s city centre, Trinity’s more than 20,000 strong student body comes from all 32 counties of Ireland, and 16% of students come from outside the country. Of those, 40% are from outside the European Union, making Trinity’s campus cosmopolitan and bustling, with a focus on diversity.

As Ireland’s leading university, the pursuit of academic excellence through research and scholarship is at the heart of the Trinity education. Trinity is known for intellectual rigour, excellence, interdisciplinary approach, and research-led teaching. Home to Nobel prize-winners such as scientist Ernest Walton and writer Samuel Beckett, Trinity draws visitors from across the world to its historic campus each year, including to the Book of Kells and Science Gallery which capture the university’s connection to both old and new. Trinity accounts for one-fifth of all spin-out companies from Irish higher education institutions, helping to turn Ireland into an innovation-intensive, high-productivity economy. That culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is a defining characteristic of our campus as we help shape the next generation of job creators.

GARDA CLEARANCE:

Police vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for a post.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will be required to complete and return a Garda vetting form should they come under consideration for appointment. In some cases they may be requested to complete the form on the day of interview. This form will be forwarded to An Garda Síochána (Irish Police) for security checks on all Irish addresses at which they have resided. An Garda Síochána will make enquiries with the Police Service of Northern Ireland with respect to addresses in Northern Ireland. If an applicant is not successful in obtaining the post for whatever reason, this information will be destroyed. If an applicant, therefore, subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.

While applicants must complete information in relation to all addresses at which they have resided, the vetting is only done on addresses on the island of Ireland.

If an applicant has resided / studied in countries outside of Ireland for a period of 6 months or more, it is mandatory for them to furnish a Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate from those countries stating that they have no convictions recorded against them while residing there. Applicants will need to provide a separate Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate for each country in which they have resided. The Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate must be dated after the date the applicant left the relevant country. Applicants should provide documentation in the English and/or Irish language. Translations must be provided by a registered translation company/institute in the Republic of Ireland; all costs will be borne by the applicant. Only original version documents will be accepted.

Applicants should be aware that any information obtained in the Garda Vetting process can be made available to the employing area.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to seek security clearances in a timely fashion as they can take some time. No applicant will be appointed without this information being provided and being in order.

The following websites may be of assistance in this regard:

www.disclosurescotland.co.uk

www.psni.police.uk

This website provides information on obtaining a national police clearance certificate for Australia

www.afp.gov.au

This website provides information on obtaining police clearance in New Zealand.

www.courts.govt.nz

For other countries not listed above applicants may find it helpful to contact the relevant embassies who could provide information on seeking Police Clearance. Original Police Clearance documentation should be forwarded to Human Resources where it will be copied and the original returned to the applicant by post. Any cost incurred in this process will be borne by the Applicant.

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin

Trinity is Ireland’s leading university and is ranked 98th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023). Founded in 1592, the University is steeped in history with a reputation for excellence in education, research and innovation.

Located on an iconic campus in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, Trinity has 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across our three faculties – Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Engineering, Mathematics and Science; and Health Sciences.

Trinity is ranked as the 17th most international university in the world (Times Higher Education Rankings 2020) and has students and staff from over 120 countries.

The pursuit of excellence through research and scholarship is at the heart of a Trinity education, and our researchers have an outstanding publication record and strong record of grant success. Trinity has developed 19 broad-based multidisciplinary research themes that cut across disciplines and facilitate world-leading research and collaboration within the University and with colleagues around the world. Trinity is also home to 5 leading flagship research institutes:

• Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI)
• Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN)
• Trinity Translational Medical Institute (TTMI)
• Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute (TLRH)
• Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN)

Trinity is 1^st in Europe for Producing Entrepreneurs for the 7^th year in a row and Europe’s only representative in the world’s top-50 universities (Pitchbook 2021-2022).

Trinity is home to the famous Old Library and to the historic Book of Kells as well as other internationally significant holdings in manuscripts, maps and early printed material. The Trinity Library is a legal deposit library, granting the University the right to claim a copy of every book published in Ireland and the UK. At present, the Library’s holdings span approximately 6.5 million printed items, 400,000 e-books and 150,000 e-journals.

With over 120,000 alumni, Trinity’s tradition of independent intellectual inquiry has produced some of the world’s finest, most original minds including the writers Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett (Nobel laureates), the mathematician William Rowan Hamilton and the physicist Ernest Walton (Nobel laureate), the political thinker Edmund Burke, and the former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. This tradition finds expression today in a campus culture of scholarship, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and dedication to societal reform.

Rankings

Trinity College Dublin is the top ranked university in Ireland. Using the QS methodology we are ranked 98^th in the world and using the Times Higher Education World University Ranking methodology we are 146^th in the World.

• Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's No.1 University
  (QS World University Ranking 2023, Times Higher Education Rankings 2022)
• Trinity is ranked 98th in the World
  (QS World University Ranking 2023)
• Trinity is ranked No.1 in Europe for Producing Entrepreneurs for the 7th year in a row Pitchbook 2021-2022

Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/research/about/rankings.

The Selection Process in Trinity

The Selection Committee (Interview Panel) may include members of the Academic and Administrative community together with External Assessor(s) who are expert in the area. Applications will be acknowledged by email. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt within 1 day of submitting your application online, please contact the named hiring lead on the job specification immediately and prior to the closing date/time. 

Given the degree of co-ordination and planning to have a Selection Committee available on the specified date, the University regrets that it may not be in a position to offer alternate selection dates. Where candidates are unavailable, reserves may be drawn from a shortlist. Outcomes of interviews are notified in writing to candidates and are issued no later than 5 working days following the selection day. 

In some instances the Selection Committee may avail of telephone or video conferencing. The University’s selection methods may consist of any or all of the following: Interviews, Presentations, Psychometric Testing, References and Situational Exercises.

It is the policy of the University to conduct pre-employment medical screening/full pre-employment medicals. Information supplied by candidates in their application (Cover Letter and CV) will be used to shortlist for interview.

Applications from non-EEA citizens are welcomed. However, eligibility is determined by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and further information on the Highly Skills Eligible Occupations List is set out in Schedule 3 of the Regulations dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Highly-Skilled-Eligible-Occupations-List and the Ineligible Categories of Employment are set out in Schedule 4 of the Regulations dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Ineligible-Categories-of-Employment. Non-EEA candidates should note that the onus is on them to secure a visa to travel to Ireland prior to interview. Non-EEA candidates should also be aware that even if successful at interview, an appointment to the post is contingent on the securing of an employment permit.

Equal Opportunities Policy

Trinity is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to employment policies, procedures and practices which do not discriminate on grounds such as gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or membership of the travelling community. On that basis we encourage and welcome talented people from all backgrounds to join our staff community. Trinity’s Diversity Statement can be viewed in full at www.tcd.ie/diversity-inclusion/diversity-statement.

Pension Entitlements

This is a pensionable position and the provisions of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 will apply in relation to retirement age for pension purposes. Details of the relevant Pension Scheme will be provided to the successful applicant.

Applicants should note that they will be required to complete a Pre-Employment Declaration to confirm whether or not they have previously availed of an Irish Public Service Scheme of incentivised early retirement or enhanced redundancy payment. Applicants will also be required to declare any entitlements to a Public Service pension benefit (in payment or preserved) from any other Irish Public Service employment.

Applicants formerly employed by the Irish Public Service that may previously have availed of an Irish Public Service Scheme of Incentivised early retirement or enhanced redundancy payment should ensure that they are not precluded from re-engagement in the Irish Public Service under the terms of such Schemes. Such queries should be directed to an applicant’s former Irish Public Service Employer in the first instance.

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit their application materials (motivation letter, CV, research statement, two referees, example of written work) in a single pdf indicating “PhD Application in Sociology” in the subject line to:-

Dr. Camilla Devitt, Associate Professor in Department of Sociology: devittca@tcd.ie