Research Assistant

The Role

The fixed-term Research Assistant (RA) position is available 4 days per week (75% FTE) in the Department of Psychology at Durham University, until June 2027. The successful candidate will join the research project “Developing a culturally fair framework for measuring the development of tool innovation across cultures” led by Dr Bruce Rawlings and funded by UKRI ESRC grant. The project focuses on understanding children’s innovation across diverse cultures.

This post is ideal for those who have finished a master’s degree and want to gain more work and research experience before pursuing a PhD. This position will prepare the post holder research experience valuable to future independent work aimed toward impactful research with community samples.

The successful applicant will be expected to start as soon as possible, to help code existing qualitative data (videos, surveys) of children’s natural tool use behaviours in diverse communities and collect quantitative experimental data on tool innovation in children around the Northeast UK.

Responsibilities:

• To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications.
• To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner.
• To analyse or undertake basic research by deciding how best to apply existing methodology according to overall context and objectives.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To assist in contributing to support student projects on the use of research methods and equipment.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term until 30^th June 2027 with the possibility of a short extension. The funding is available now and will ideally start as soon as possible.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post as soon as possible.

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