Research Fellow, Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement

The Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement (DLTE) at Edinburgh Napier University work in collaboration with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to inspire and support the development of learning and teaching practices, with the intention of enhancing the student learning experience.

Our researchers are involved in highly innovative and inspiring projects that have the potential to positively impact our students and as such, we are currently recruiting a Research Fellow to contribute to a two year, fully funded Leverhulme Trust Research Project titled "Investigating the Experiences of ChatGPT and AI by Students in UK Universities."

The Role:

This role will provide you with an excellent opportunity to explore and provide critical insights into the interactions of UK university students with generative AI tools, and any barriers and opportunities for future adoption of these technologies.

You will be in a prime position to use your qualitative and quantitative research skills to conduct in-depth interviews and distribute survey questionnaires to study participants, while analysing qualitative data using thematic analysis and quantitative data using statistical methods.

The post will see you involved in pioneering research, as you participate in a groundbreaking study on AI's impact in higher education, specifically focusing on innovative tools like ChatGPT.

There will also be opportunity to collaborate with experts from various fields, enhancing your multidisciplinary skills and knowledge, while simultaneously contributing to research that can shape the future use of AI in educational settings across the UK and globally.

Since you will be involved in all stages of the research process, from data collection to publication, the post offers immense learning and skill development opportunities.

Furthermore, you will play an integral part of a project with potential outcomes that will be published in prestigious academic journals.

For a full job description and comprehensive list of duties, please click here .

What we will need from you:

• Candidates must hold a PhD in education or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting semi-structured interviews.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis.
• Solid experience in thematic analysis for evaluating qualitative data.
• Familiarity with integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in research.
• Strong skills in managing and securing sensitive research data

Desirable criteria:

• Understanding of AI tools like ChatGPT and their implications in higher education.
• Experience in designing and conducting large-scale surveys
• Familiarity with NVivo or similar software for qualitative data analysis

Benefits we offer:

Edinburgh Napier University is a forward-thinking institution, home to forward-thinking people, inspired by the world around us. Join us and you will find that we offer support and recognition wherever due, as well as fantastic benefits such as flexible and hybrid working, an attractive pension with employer contributions of 20.8% and a minimum of 41 days holiday.

There are professional development opportunities, discounted onsite sports facilities and a wide range of other staff discounts. For more information about our wide range of benefits, click here .

Salary: £36,024 - £44,263 per annum (Grade 5)

Additional information:

The closing date for this position is 11:59 pm on 31st  January 2024.

Interviews will be held on week commencing 12th  February 2024. 

Edinburgh Napier is committed to creating an environment where everyone feels proud, confident, challenged and supported and are holders of Disability Confident, Carer Positive and Stonewall Diversity Champion status. Please see here  for more information.