Postdoctoral Research Associate

An outstanding international reputation for teaching and research. We are one of the largest and most diverse Anthropology Departments in the UK, with nearly 40 permanent academic staff working within and across social, evolutionary and health anthropology. Each year, we welcome over 130 undergraduate students and around 70 postgraduate students from around the world.

We provide an intellectually inclusive environment, fostering the academic freedom and confidence to work at both the core and boundaries of anthropology in exciting and innovative ways. The assessment of our work in REF 2021 attests to research excellence across social anthropology, evolutionary anthropology and the anthropology of health. 45% of our research was rated as world-leading (4*), placing us in the top 5 Anthropology Departments in the UK and recognising our world-leading impact and research environment.

Our department is especially renowned for its commitment to interdisciplinarity, both in terms of integrating the different subfields of anthropology and working collaboratively with other disciplines. The Anthropology Department is strongly involved in numerous transdisciplinary university Research Institutes and Centres, including the Institute for Advanced Study. Durham Energy Institute, Institute for Medical Humanities, Wolfson Institute, and Durham Global Security Institute. For more information, please visit our Department pages at:

The Role

Applications are invited for a short-term PDRA role in Anthropology who will provide assistance to manage and analyse research materials collected as part of the ERC funded project ‘Alive Africa’. Under the supervision of the PI, the role holder will be expected to carry out translation and data management of materials collected in Sierra Leone and to collaborate on the development of publications that draw on these materials.

Key responsibilities:

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• 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 plan and manage own research activity,.
• 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 participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.

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