Postdoctoral Researcher

Are you passionate about the importance of film archives? Do you believe that colonial film collections can contribute to our understanding of the history of the British Empire? Are you interested in investigating colonial worlds captured on film by colonial officers, missionaries, and medical personnel? Are you keen to actively contribute to decolonisation initiatives in relation to film archives and their colonial collections?  

Join us at Birkbeck, University of London, for a two-year, full-time, Postdoctoral Research Assistant role this Spring. 

In this role you will be working on 'Colonial Reels: Histories and Afterlives of Colonial Film Collections', a UKRI-Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project, working with Dr Emma Sandon, Co-Investigator, at the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication at Birkbeck. You will be part of the project team led by Dr Jacqueline Maingard, at the University of Bristol.

The project will analyse colonial film held in four British Film Archives in relation to the historical contexts of the countries and locales where it was produced, and will explore the infrastructures, networks and technologies that its production drew upon and the means by which it was circulated. The project will work with the archives to develop ways in which access to these collections can be achieved within the context of decolonisation and critical engagement.

As Postdoctoral Researcher you will play a crucial role in our research project and will;

• Undertake research into the colonial reels in the project’s four partner archives, British Empire and Commonwealth Collection, British Film Institute, Royal Anthropological Institute and Wellcome Collection.
• Work collaboratively and independently under the mentorship and guidance of the Co-Investigator, to attain the project goals.
• Contribute to conferences, symposiums, workshops and other events, and produce academic outputs independently and collaboratively.

To succeed as Postdoctoral Researcher, you should have;

• A PhD in Film History or Film Studies, Historical Studies, Medical Humanities or a closely-related field;
• Knowledge of film history, and/or British colonial history, and/or visual anthropology, and/or postcolonial theory;
• Knowledge and understanding of debates on decolonisation, reparation, restitution and access to film archives; 
• An interest and ability in working with film archives.

If you have experience or interest in roles such as Research Fellow or Academic Researcher, this position could be the perfect fit for you.

Salary and benefits:

£43,636 to £49,683 per annum. Grade 7 on the College's London Pay Scale which includes a London Weighting Allowance. 

Benefits of working at Birkbeck: a competitive salary and pension scheme, 31 days paid leave, flexible working arrangements, generous benefits in the HE sector, and being located in the heart of Bloomsbury, Euston, London.

Contract:

Fixed-term, two-year contract, full-time, (35 hours a week).

Please submit a CV and statement for consideration.

Visa sponsorship accepted. Flexibility/remote work offered. 

Closing date: Friday 14 March 2025, interview date: Thursday 27 March 2025.

Enquiries:

If you would like to know more about the role, please contact:

Dr Emma Sandon, Researcher, at e.sandon@bbk.ac.uk. 

If you have difficulty using the recruitment portal, please contact jobs@bbk.ac.uk   

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. The College is committed to improving the gender and cultural diversity of its workforce, holding an Athena SWAN award and operating Disability Confident & Mindful Employer schemes. www.birkbeck.ac.uk/jobs

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