Postdoctoral Researcher (Patents In Humans Project) (Specified Purpose)

The Role

Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued.

We are currently seeking to appoint an excellent candidate with strong knowledge of empirical research methods and analysis, including for example semi-structured expert interviews and/or focus groups, to join the European Research Council (ERC) funded PatentsInHumans project team as a postdoctoral researcher.

The PatentsInHumans project aims to develop a deeper understanding of, whether and to what extent bioethical issues posed by patent grant and use over technologies related to the human body are currently considered, if at all, within the relevant legal and other decision-making systems in Europe. The post holder will work with Prof Aisling McMahon (Principal Investigator), School of Law and Criminology, Maynooth University to conduct empirical research with relevant stakeholders, including patients, medical practitioners, members of the legal community, etc to further our understandings of how patent rights can impact access to health-technologies, and potential impacts of this on healthcare, including bioethical implications. They will work with the PI to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with relevant experts and stakeholders to gain qualitative understandings of the potential bioethical implications posed by patents over such technologies and to develop deeper understandings of any challenges to engaging with these under the current decision-making systems in Europe.

More specifically, the successful candidate will work with the Principal Investigator to conduct expert semi-structured interviews to gain insights over the institutional influences which may impact how decision-making actors (such as judges, lawyers, and other key actors) engage with potential bioethical issues posed by the grant and use of patents over technologies related to how we treat, use and modify the human body. The candidate will also assist with conducting focus groups with technology users, including members of the public and patient representatives, to deepen our understanding of potential impacts of patents on patients’ lived experiences, and broader bioethical issues at stake.

Together with the Principal Investigator the successful candidate will analyse such data and will contribute to project deliverables and co-author project publications. They will also support the Principal Investigator and project team in carrying out other research tasks related to the project, including developing publications, conducting desk-based research, literature reviews and writing of project reports.

For further details including full comprehensive job description please click on the apply button above. 

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