Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Department of Sociology was established in 1964 initially as a Department of Social Theory and Institutions. The Department delivers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Sociology, Criminology and Social Work and supports the delivery of a faculty research methods programme as part of the collaborative NINEDTP. The Department’s research strategy is built around five themes: Communities and Social Justice; Health and Social Theory; Higher Education and Social Inequality; Violence and Abuse and Criminal Justice, Social Harm and Inequalities.

The Role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Contextual Safeguarding with a particular emphasis on researching the implications of Contextual Safeguarding for welfare involved parents. This is part of the From Capacity to Context research project, led by Dr Rachael Owens. The project uses participatory research with parents in the context of adolescent safety and harm to shape social work reforms.

The successful applicant will be expected to lead and develop qualitative research activities, data analysis and project support. The applicant will have responsibility for leading participatory research activities with parents and practitioners, specifically supporting the co-design of new safeguarding practices. It will involve working closely with the voluntary sector partner Ivison Trust to facilitate co-produced research. The post holder will need to strong skills in working sensitively to build trust with people who are involved with safeguarding/welfare services and possess a good knowledge of child safeguarding practice in the UK. They will also need skills in utilising creative methods for research and know how to analyse and write-up data collected through these approaches through a range of outputs.

The role will involve travelling to collect data in person in the North of England.

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