Postdoctoral Research Fellow

About us

The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU) at University College London (UCL) is an international centre specialising in academic teaching, practical training, research, and consultancy in urban and regional development and planning. It is concerned with promoting sustainable development, understanding rapid urbanisation, and encouraging innovation in the policy, planning and management responses to the economic, social, and environmental development of cities and regions, especially in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

Andrea Rigon and Julian Walker are jointly leading a research project on Co-producing Digital Platforms for Youth Inclusive Urban Governance funded by the Fondation Botnar which we are delivering with our partners Kota Kita in Indonesia, CatalyticAction in Lebanon, and the SHM Foundation.

About the role

Based within Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU) of University College London’s (UCL) vibrant hive of activity, a full-time post-doctoral research assistant is required to work on the “Co-producing Digital Platforms for Youth Inclusive Urban Governance”. This research project focuses on four small to medium sized cities in Indonesia and Lebanon where our local consortium members have observed that, in the context of exclusionary power dynamics, there is limited youth engagement with urban government-led invited spaces of participation in urban governance. To understand, and engage in this context, our research to date in Work Package 1 (WP1) documented the factors underpinning young people’s modes of engagement in urban governance in the four case study cities through a research phase working with young people as citizen scientists. This phase of the project documented and critically analysed exis ting youth- and state-led urban platforms in our four case study cities, and conducted a wider quantitative survey of over 4,000 young people’s engagement in urban governance processes across the four cities.

The appointment will be made for 16 months in the UCL Research Fellow scheme and will initially be paid a salary of Grade 7, point 31 (£44,480 per annum, including London Allowance).

We expect the applicant to commence on 1 June 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The successful applicant will be subject to the initial UCL probationary procedures.

About you

The successful applicant will have a PhD in a relevant discipline (or close to completion) will be the key full time staff member working on the project and take a lead role to manage the project, coordinate administrative issues, and conduct research activities.

They will travel to the project partner countries for key research activities for at least 6 months. . The post will therefore not be suitable for those unable to travel. We can consider researchers based in Lebanon, Indonesia, or the UK.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

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