Senior Research Associate in Research Policy & Culture

The role

This full-time open ended with fixed funding five-year post is to work on a large Research England funded project with project funding to June 2030. The post holder will work with Principal Investigator Prof Gemma Derrick and Co-Investigator’s Professor Simon Hettrick and Prof James Baker at the University of Southampton to deliver an innovative and ambitious project, ‘Embedding Trust in Evaluation’.

What will you be doing?

• Conduct a literature review of evidence on current approaches, criteria and processes for the assessment of NTOs
• Take responsibility for establishing and ensuring the success of the Evidence Stream of the E-TIE project alongside its partners and stakeholders.
• Plan and conduct ethnographic/interview led research concerning REF2029 evaluation panels, evaluators and other relevant actors.
• Work alongside Co-Is Derrick and Hettrick to establish methods of capturing the process and outcomes of HEI sector and stakeholder engagement, including the Hidden REF festival and competition.
• Qualitatively and quantitatively analyse results from our research using relevant statistical and qualitative analysis techniques.
• Assist and take the lead in writing up research findings for peer reviewed journal articles
• Disseminate findings through traditional media, our website, the Hidden REF Festival and other relevant academic and non-academic channels
• Liaise with project stakeholders to ensure meaningful cooperation towards ensuring the impact of the project findings on research policy.

You should apply if

Applicants should apply if they are looking for a long-term post-doctoral or early research career opportunity which will allow for the opportunity to pursue academic outputs as well as meaningful, long term impact on UK and global peer review assessment of research outcomes.

This position would be suitable for someone with an existing track record or evidenced interest in research policy, evaluation policy, peer review, research culture, research-on-research, higher education policy, psychology of group decision- making and/or evaluation of change.

Although ECR applicants will be considered, it is expected that applicants will already possess a relevant track record of research leadership and/or academic publications in this area, as well as have a track record of liaising with non-academic stakeholders and partners towards achieving sustainable change. An expertise in qualitative methods including interviews and ethnography (including observation studies) is preferred.

Additional information

For informal queries about the role please contact,

Prof Gemma Derrick - gemma.derrick@bristol.ac.uk

Contract type: Open Ended until 30/06/2030

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Sunday 4th May 2025

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

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