PhD Studentships x 2

Overview

The Department of Sociology at Maynooth University seeks to appoint a PhD candidate (full-time appointment with a scholarship for four years).  The position will be associated with the European Research Council funded project LINLOSS - Towards a Sociology of Loss: Disposals and dead-ends in Lineages of Social Innovation and Change.  The PhD candidate will be part of a team conducting research in Ireland and Poland, under the supervision of Professor Jane Gray.

PhD 1

The PhD candidate will support the principal investigator and research team conducting the fieldwork in Ireland. They will develop their own PhD project and write a dissertation linked to the topic of LINLOSS. The PhD will be supervised by Professor Jane Gray and will be subject to Maynooth University and Department of Sociology regulations. 

PhD 2

The PhD candidate will support the principal investigator and research team conducting the fieldwork in Poland. They will develop their own PhD project and write a dissertation linked to the topic of LINLOSS. The PhD will be supervised by Professor Jane Gray and will be subject to Maynooth University and Department of Sociology regulations. 

Principal duties

• Conducting fieldwork under the direction of the Principal Investigator in collaboration with the project team
• Assisting with data transcription and anonymisation
• Jointly drafting articles and other outputs for scholarly publication
• Presenting at national and international conferences
• Helping with the organization and coordination of meetings and workshops related to the project
• Completing a PhD Dissertation as part of the broader LINLOSS project
• Complying with all Department and University policies

Essential requirements

The PhD candidate should have a strong interest and experience in biographical research on social change, using mixed qualitative methods.  They should have:

• A master’s degree in sociology or a relevant cognate discipline
• Excellent knowledge of qualitative social science research methodology
• Familiarity with software for qualitative data analysis (e.g. MaxQDA)
• Ability to work independently, and to manage workloads and deadlines
• Excellent English language writing and speaking skills
• PhD2 candidate only: Excellent Polish language writing and speaking skills

Funding

The student will receive a tax-free stipend of €22,000 per year for four years with full coverage of tuition fees, and a laptop. Travel to training, conferences and activities of the research will also be supported.

Where to apply:

Please send your application directly to Professor Jane Gray at jane.gray@mu.ie

Your application should include:

• Curriculum vitae
• Certified copies of official academic transcripts (bachelor’s and master’s degrees)
• A letter of motivation that should include: (1) a brief statement of why you wish to complete a PhD linked to the LINLOSS project; and (2) a brief account of how your track record meets the requirements of the role.

Closing date for applications is Sunday 10^th August 2024

Selection and appointment:

• Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend for interview (online)
• Candidates invited for interview will be required to make a short presentation
• The appointment is expected to be effective from 1^st September 2024

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