Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 or Level 2

Applications are invited for a Temporary post of a UCD Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 or Level 2 within UCD School of English, Drama and Film.

Applications are invited for the post of Postdoctoral Research Fellow (level 1 or level 2) in the UCD School of English, Drama and Film working on a new European Research Council (ERC) starting project under the direction of Dr Ailise Bulfin (Principal Investigator). The project is entitled ‘Investigating Fictional Representations of Child Sexual Abuse in Contemporary Culture: Myths and Understanding (CSAReps)’ (2024-2028). The fellow will also have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues in UCD’s School of Psychology, including Dr Brendan Rooney’s cutting-edge Media and Entertainment Psychology Lab.

CSAReps examines how the critical issue of child sexual abuse (CSA) is represented in fictional works and undertakes a series of multi-method audience response studies to investigate the ways in which these works affect their audiences. The project’s interdisciplinary framework draws on theories and techniques from literary, film and television studies, cognitive and empirical cultural studies, medical humanities, media and cognitive psychology and media studies. It also entails close collaborations with CSA survivors, support professionals and academics across a range of relevant disciplines internationally.

The project seeks to recruit an exceptional scholar who is trained in conducting entertainment media audience studies and/or mixed method studies with stakeholder groups, and also ideally has experience of working with vulnerable research participants. Example project duties include:

• Design and conduct mixed method studies of how CSA survivor, stakeholder and general public audiences engage with CSA fictions, including preparing ethics protocols, collecting and analysing qualitative and quantitative data, and writing up results
• Contribute psychology expertise to support the development of the project’s conceptual framework and methodologies
• Carry out some textual analysis of the project’s primary cultural texts (some project-specific training will be provided)
• Contribute to project research administration

Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 Salary Range: €42,033 - €44,527 per annum.

Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 2 Fixed  Salary €49,790 per annum.

Appointment will be dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Closing date: 17:00hrs (local Irish time) on 20th October 2023.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 17:00hrs (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system. UCD are unable to accept late applications.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies. Any CVs submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.

The PD1 position is intended for early stage researchers, either just after completion of a PhD or for someone entering a new area for the first time. If you have already completed your PD1 stage in UCD or will soon complete a PD1, or you are an external applicant whose total Postdoctoral experience, inclusive of the duration of the advertised post, would exceed 4 years, you should not apply and should refer to PD2 posts instead.

The PD2 post is intended for researchers that have completed PD1. As with the PD1, if you have already completed your PD2 stage in UCD or will soon complete a PD2, or your total Postdoctoral experience, inclusive of the duration of the advertised post, would exceed 6 years, you should not apply and should refer to Research Fellow posts instead.