Research Fellow in Public Engagement and Science Governance

Are you an experienced researcher with a passion for public engagement and the social dimensions of emerging science? 

Do you want to help shape new approaches to engaging diverse communities in conversations about genomic science?

We are seeking a Research Fellow to join the Wellcome-funded project, Tuning EARS for the Future: Reframing Engagement in (Genomic) Science. This project reframes public engagement from cataloguing stakeholder views to addressing the relational gaps that shape how publics and stakeholders engage with emerging science.

Working closely with Professor Joy Y. Zhang and a multidisciplinary research team, you will contribute to the development of innovative public dialogue approaches, collaborate with a range of stakeholders, and help generate research that informs the future of engagement in genomic science. You will be experienced in collaborative research and public engagement with comprehensive knowledge of emerging biomedical or genomic sciences and their associated social, ethical and policy dimensions.

The post is full-time and for a fixed period to the end of August 2027.

As a Research Fellow you can expect to be involved in:

• Designing and conducting empirical research to support the successful delivery of the Tuning EARS for the Future project.
• Conducting in-depth media, policy, and secondary data analysis, synthesizing findings to generate meaningful insights for the project.
• Co-leading high-impact academic publications that contribute to scholarly discourse and advance knowledge in the field.
• Playing a central role in curating, publicising and delivering engagement activities with diverse stakeholders.

What will you bring to the role?

• A PhD, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline such as sociology, science communication, anthropology, political science, bioethics or a related field.
• Experience of independently designing and conducting rigorous empirical social research, with a strong publication record.
• Knowledge of the social, ethical and policy dimensions of emerging biomedical or genomic sciences.
• Experience of public engagement or science communication, with excellent collaborative and communication skills.

What we can offer in return:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You'll enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs - for this role, remote work may be supported, however there will be a need to attend the Canterbury campus regularly)
• 43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Corporate employee-funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent

For enquiries about the roles, please contact Joy Y. Zhang via email at y.zhang-203@kent.ac.uk. For further information regarding the application process, please contact peopleserviceshr@kent.ac.uk quoting reference number SSS-038-26

We particularly welcome applications from female candidates as they are under-represented at this level in this area

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