British Election Study Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway seeks to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on the British Election Study. The successful applicant would be expected to start in January 2027. This is a full-time, fixed-term position for 5 years.

About the role. The successful candidate will facilitate high quality research using the British Election Study alongside Professor Oliver Heath and the BES Scientific Leadership Team. Duties will include contributing to a programme of original research using the BES; data analysis for inclusion in BES publications; public dissemination of BES research including conferences and events; data management; assisting with survey design; creating material for the BES website; supporting website maintenance; and assisting with events. The post offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the British Election Study.

About the Department. The Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy is part of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy is a research-intensive unit, ranking first in England in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise. The Department provides a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes to a diverse student body. We carry out research across different sub-disciplines, including but not limited to the Global Politics and Development Centre, Centre for International Security, Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies, Democracy and Elections Centre, New Political Communication Unit and the Gender Institute.

About the characteristics we value. Alongside excellence in research, we are looking for individuals who are collegial and value collaborative working. 

This post is based in Egham, Surrey where the University is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near to Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Professor Oliver Heath, Director of the British Election Study. Email: oliver.heath@rhul.ac.uk.

Please include a cover letter and cv. Candidates who are shortlisted for the post will be asked to attend an online interview on 3 December 2026.

To view further details of this post and to apply please visit https://jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk. For queries on the application process the Human Resources Department can be contacted by email at: recruitment@rhul.ac.uk

Please quote the reference: 1026-342

Closing Date:  23:59, 12 November 2026

Interview Date: Thursday, 3 December 2026

Royal Holloway is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and encourages applications from all people regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, parental status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or trans status or history. More information on our structures and initiatives around EDI, including information on staff diversity networks, can be found on our Equality and Diversity Intranet page.

Advert information