Senior Research Associate (Fixed Term for 4 Months)

Salary on appointment will be £37,999 per annum, with an annual increment up to £45,163 per annum. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Research Associate to join the School of Education and Lifelong Learning to undertake research in collaboration with Dr Harry T. Dyer and Dr Simon P Hammond (co-leads) of the TYKES (Towards developing understandings of Young Kid’s digital Literacies in Early years foundation Stage) research project funded through the Joyce Morris Legacy Fund. 

You will be joining the project at an exciting stage, working alongside other team members in the collection and analysis of digital content collected from platforms such as TikTok and YouTube Kids. You will work to support the analysis of an established qualitative dataset obtained from observations of young children engaging with YouTube Kids, semi-structured interviews with families/carers around their thoughts on Video Sharing Platforms, and interviews and focus groups with Early Years Practitioners discussing their perspectives on digital literacies and early childhood development. You will be expected to take a leading role supporting the dissemination of this data intersecting the fields of education, digital sociology, cultural studies, and critical media studies to academic and non-academic audiences. 

You will have a PhD (or be nearing completion within 9 months) or equivalent qualification or relevant professional experience in suitable area (digital sociology, cultural studies, early years education). You will have significant previous experience of independent research, ideally experience of research into the impacts of digital technologies, experience of co-ordinating and conducting qualitative research and content analysis. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential, as is experience of presenting and writing-up research results for publication in peer-viewed books, conferences and/or journals. You should have good attention to detail and be able to meet all the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification. 

This full-time post is available from 27 January 2025 on a fixed-term basis for 4 months.

We strongly encourage Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants and welcome applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit. 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointment will be subject to a criminal record check at Enhanced level from the Disclosure and Barring Service, including a check of the Child Barred List. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Further information on our great benefits package, including 44 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays and additional University Customary days (pro rata for part-time), can be found on our benefits page.

Closing date: 8 December 2024

The University holds an Athena Swan Silver Institutional Award in recognition of our advancement towards gender equality.

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