Research Associate - (Assistant Director of the Centre for the Study of Governance and Society)

About us

The Department of Political Economy is a unique interdisciplinary enterprise located in the heart of London with proximity to both the world of politics and the City. Founded in 2010, it is the only dedicated Department of Political Economy in the United Kingdom. The teaching and research recognises, that the disciplines of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics are inextricably linked: it is not possible to properly understand political processes without exploring the economic or value contexts in which politics operates. Similarly, sound economic analysis requires an awareness of how resource allocation is conditioned both by the values and principles of individuals and communities, and by political and legal institutions, and the way these have been understood by different traditions in social thought.

Department of Political Economy:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/politicaleconomy/index.aspx

School of Politics and Economics:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/schools/politics-economics/index.aspx 

Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/index.aspx 

About the role

The position is to act as project manager for the “Market Economies and Green Ideals” grant and to perform the role of assistant director of the Centre for the Study of Governance and Society (CSGS). Duties include assisting in the administration of the Market Economies and Green Ideals grant and other CSGS projects, completing reports analyzing grant performance, managing CSGS social media, assisting with the conferences and academic events CSGS conducts, and assessing the research executed under the auspices of the Market Economies and Green Ideals grant. The project manager/assistant director is also encouraged to conduct their own academic research. Ph.D. required in philosophy, politics, economics, or any related social science or humanities discipline. The Assistant Director is responsible to the Co-Principal Investigator on the Market Economies and Green Ideals grant - Roberto Fumagalli - and the Principal Investigator and CSGS Director - Mark Pennington

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed-term contract from 1st September 2025 to 31st May 2028.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• PhD in social sciences or humanities
• Capacity to work closely with small teams.
• Detail oriented.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Knowledge of the social sciences and humanities.
• Experience in conducting independent academic research

Desirable criteria

• Experience executing and applying for grants.
• Administrative experience.
• Experience with managing social media.
• Research interests regarding issues involving knowledge and the governance of complex societies and/or debates surrounding sustainable development.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6. 

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

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