Research Assistant

Job Title: Research Assistant

Department: School of Education

Grade:  6

Term: Fixed Term Contract

Salary Range:  £27,929.00  - £34,308.00 per annum pro rata

Working Arrangements: This role is part-time but we will consider requests for flexible working arrangements including potential job shares

Closing Date: 9 Febuary 2023 at midday

The University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Less than 3 hours north of London, and an hour and a half south of Edinburgh, County Durham is a region steeped in history and natural beauty. The Durham Dales, including the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are home to breathtaking scenery and attractions. Durham offers an excellent choice of city, suburban and rural residential locations. The University provides a range of benefits including pension and childcare benefits and the University’s Relocation Manager can assist with potential schooling requirements.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

The Department

We are one of the very best UK Education departments, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Our research was ranked second overall in the latest Research Excellence Framework while our Initial Teacher Education programmes were rated as Outstanding in our most recent Ofsted inspections.

The Role

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant in education with a particular emphasis on students’ wellbeing and online learning. The research project is funded by the British Academy’s Humanities and Social Sciences Tackling Global Challenges Programme, supported under the Global Challenges Research Fund. The research aims to identify and investigate critical issues around health and well-being of adolescents confronted with abrupt changes in teaching delivery and learning environment during COVID-19 pandemic in China, and develop an After Action Review for lessons learned and mitigation strategies. The research is led by Dr Tinghe Jin at Durham University and is conducted in cooperation with colleagues from Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences and Zhejiang Normal University in China, and University of Leicester and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK.

The successful applicant will be expected to be involved in data collection using well-defined methods developed by them with support/direction from an experienced colleague in cooperation with others in the team. They will work together with other members of the team:

Responsibilities:

To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications.

To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner.

To analyse or undertake basic research by deciding how best to apply existing methodology according to overall context and objectives.

To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.

To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.

To contribute to the planning of research projects.

To assist in contributing to support student projects on the use of research methods and equipment. 

To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.

To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.

To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.   

Any other specific responsibilities

This post is fixed term for nine months from February to October 2023 as the project is time limited and will end in Oct 2023.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by February 2023.

How to Apply

For informal enquiries please contact  ed.research@durham.ac.uk.  All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

We prefer to receive applications online via the Durham University Vacancies Site. https://www.dur.ac.uk/jobs/ . As part of the application process, you should provide details of 3 (preferably academic/research) referees and the details of your current line manager so that we may seek an employment reference.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in the University.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

A CV and covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;

Next Steps

The assessment for the post will include an interview and there may be a short task which will be communicated in due course. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment on date tbc (likely February 2023).

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. 

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.   

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

The Requirements

Essential:

      Qualifications

Experience

     Skills

Desirable:

     Qualifications

     Experience

     Skills