Career Opportunities at Queen's

About the Role

The Research Assistant will support the delivery of Future Island-Island, an AHRC-funded Green Transition Ecosystem that brings together community, researchers, designers and creative practitioners to co-design greener, more resilient futures for island and remote communities. Working with Rathlin Island as both collaborator and teacher, the project develops innovative approaches to circular economy, adaptive reuse, heritage, education, digital technologies and community-led environmental transition, creating scalable models with national and international relevance.

The post is a critical role, and as such, successful applicants will have responsibilities will support the day-to-day delivery of research activities. This will include, qualitative research, co-design workshops, community engagement, fieldwork, data management, visual communication, project administration, rigorous research documentation and the preparation of research publication outputs. Working closely with the Principal Investigator and wider interdisciplinary project team, the successful candidate will contribute to high-quality research outputs while helping to ensure excellent project delivery.

About the Person

The post is suited to an organised, enthusiastic and collaborative researcher with strong communication skills, an interest in design-led research and sustainability, and experience of working across interdisciplinary and community settings.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

• Have or be about to obtain a PhD in Architecture, Planning, Urban Design, Geography, Environmental Studies or another relevant discipline (NB: ‘About to obtain’ is normally defined as within 3 months of application date).

Desirable:

• Training in qualitative methods.
• Training or micro-credentials related to related to co-design community engagement methods, climate adaptation, built heritage, adaptive reuse.
• Short courses in research ethics and data management for applied fieldwork.
• Professional affiliation in a relevant field (e.g., architecture, built-environment, planning, environment) or evidence of equivalent professional development.

EXPERIENCE

Essential:

Specific, relevant research experience to include:

• Undertaking research in the area of architecture, planning, heritage, codesign, climate, green transition, adaptive reuse.
• A proven track record of using relevant research methodologies to carry out analyses, critical evaluations, and interpretations of data relevant to the research project.
• Strong publication record commensurate with stage of career.
• Experience in writing funding applications commensurate with stage of career.
• Proven experience organising and facilitating workshops with diverse stakeholders.
• Working effectively as part of a research team in the development and promotion of the research theme.
• Evidence of project co-ordination: scheduling fieldwork, managing participant recruitment, logistics, and record-keeping to deadlines.
• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement with community organisations and with diverse stakeholders.
• Willingness to contribute to School/consortium activities, meetings and reporting.
• Ability to contribute to broader management and administrative processes.

Desirable:

• Experience working with community groups and project partners.
• Contribution to grant report writing and research data management plans.
• Experience of translating research findings into presentation materials.
• Experience building and sustaining cross-sector networks (policy, community, academia).
• Contribution to public engagement (talks, briefings, community events) and/or university service.

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information.

This is a fixed-term contract for 18 months.  Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

What we offer

Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work-life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find more detail on all of this and more at https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/pay-reward-and-benefits/

Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.  For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit www.qub.ac.uk/diversity

If you are an international applicant and don't already hold a visa that permits you to take up the role you are applying for, please use the information provided on our website to self-assess whether the University is likely to be able to support a visa application - http://go.qub.ac.uk/internationalstaffsupport 

Candidate Information