Research Assistant (0.4 FTE)

Founded in 1902, UCL Institute of Education has been shaping policy and helping government, organisations and individuals navigate a changing society for the last 120 years.

The Social Research Institute is one of the leading centres for social research in the UK.

We promote problem-solving interdisciplinary research on particular themes where we have outstanding scholarship and critical mass, e.g. gender, families, work, inequalities, migration, bio-social interactions.

We are looking for research assistants to work on the project “Applied stereotypes, social networks, and self-fulfilling prophecies: How stereotypes reinforce social inequalities” (STERN). STERN is a five-year research project, now starting its second year, funded by the European Research Council and led by Zsófia Boda.

The team aims to develop a measurement of applied stereotypes – the way people apply the stereotypes they hold to others – and collect empirical data in secondary schools in England. The project will analyse how applied stereotypes of peers emerge, and how they affect educational outcomes and well-being of pupils.

We are looking for two or three research assistants to support the preparation for, and implementation of, data collection planned for autumn 2027. Each position will be between 0.2 and 0.4 FTE (equivalent of one to two days per week), depending on the availability of the successful applicants.

In this post you will work closely with other team members on a range of tasks, based on the needs of the project and, where possible, your individual interests and expertise.

About you

You will have a master’s degree in a relevant social science discipline (sociology, social psychology, education, behavioural science, or related field), or equivalent research experience. You will also have experience in quantitative research methods and an interest in social inequalities, social networks, or stereotypes.

This opporunity is offered until 30th September 2027 in the first instance.

Your application form should address all Person Specification points and clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet each of the criteria. It is important that the criteria are clearly numbered and that you provide a response to each one.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits.

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Our faculty holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.

Customer advert reference: B16-02280

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