Research Assistant - ITE

York St John University; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 28,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent annual leave

Disability leave

Employee assistance program

Relocation support

Visa fee reimbursement

Job summary

York St John University, located in York, invites applications for a Research Assistant to support a Philosophy for Children project exploring critical thinking about AI. The role involves collecting data from schools, administering questionnaires and interviews, and performing analyses under ethical guidelines.

The post requires a PhD, DBS clearance, and experience with mixed-methods research, with duties including data transcription and documentation.

Qualifications

• PhD is required; temporary research-focused post.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Proficiency in Outlook, OneDrive, Word and Excel.
• Excellent communication and high attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Collect and analyse project data from pre- and post-questionnaires and group interviews.
• Administer and collate questionnaire data and transcribe interviews.
• Conduct data analysis and ensure adherence to methodological and ethical requirements.
• Maintain project documentation and data.

Skills

Quantitative & qualitative research

Strong communication

Attention to detail

DBS clearance

Education

Doctoral degree (PhD)

Tools

Outlook

OneDrive

Word

Excel

Job description

Department: School of Education, Language and Psychology

Location: York

Salary: £17.98- £20.74 per hour (exclusive of holiday pay)

Closing Date: Sunday 01 November 2026 at midnight

Interview Date: Wednesday 18 November 2026

Reference: 146-26

Casual (hours will be offered on an ad-hoc basis in accordance with the University's resource requirements)

Salary: £17.98- £20.74 per hour (exclusive of holiday pay). Holiday pay is accrued at 12.07% in addition to the hourly rate.

Location: York

Introduction to YSJ university

Situated in the heart of the historic city of York, and with the addition of our London Campus, York St John University has a long and proud tradition as a distinguished higher education provider.

Our success is founded on the quality of academic teaching and research, our thriving campus environments, our professional and pastoral support, and our values of an inclusive, innovative and ambitious community with a strong sense of belonging.

The Project

Developed in the 1960s by Matthew Lipman, Philosophy for Children (P4C) provides a structured approach to developing children’s philosophical thinking through dialogue. Its aim is not to make children into philosophers, but to help them think more effectively by developing reasoning, judgement, and critical thinking skills (Lipman, 2017). The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into daily life presents both opportunities and challenges, including cognitive, ethical, and environmental concerns. As AI becomes more prevalent, critical thinking is essential to enable children to make informed decisions about its use (Shahresani, 2025).

The role is linked to a small-scale project seeks to explore how P4C can support the development of critical thinking about AI. Using a mixed-methods approach, it builds on previous research showing that primary-aged children demonstrate creativity and criticality in philosophical dialogue (Elbra-Ramsay, 2025). Data will be collected through pre- and post-project questionnaires and qualitative group interviews.

The Role

We are seeking a Research Assistant (RA) who can work alongside the researcher to collect and analyse data from the project. The children’s perceptions will be collected through a pre and post questionnaire and a number of group interviews, all of which will take place in a local school. The researcher will be involved in administering and collating the questionnaire data, transcribing interview data and conducting analysis of both. They will need to ensure adherence to methodological and ethical requirements, and maintain project documentation and data.

Required skills and experience

This is a temporary, research-focused job for someone who has already earned a doctoral degree like a PhD. The successful applicant will also require a DBS. Candidates require experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods. They should have proficiency in standard IT applications (Outlook, OneDrive, Word, Excel), strong communication skills and a high level of attention to detail. Experience of working as an academic research assistant (paid or voluntary) would be an advantage. Previous experience working with children in a school setting is also preferable.

The role is a maximum of 30 hours in total (over the period of the project).

The selection process will include a brief interview (you are not required to give a presentation). Further details will be provided if you are shortlisted for interview.

Unfortunately this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship however we welcome your application if you are able to evidence right to work in the UK via an alternative route.

We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive policies and facilities and welcome applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of our commitment to providing an inclusive working environment, consideration is given to all requests for job share or flexible working arrangements.

This vacancy is scheduled to close on the date indicated at the bottom of this advert, but we encourage you to please apply as early as possible as we may consider closing earlier if we receive a high level of applications. If the vacancy is closed earlier, all pending applicants will be notified and provided with 24 hours' notice to submit an application.

Our benefits package

We offer a wide range of employee benefits including -

• - Excellent annual leave entitlement, including five discretionary university closure days over the Christmas period
• - Disability leave (applies to staff who have disclosed a disability and is also available to staff with disabled dependants)
• - Employee Assistance Programme
• - Paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists
• - On-campus courses, one-to-one tutorials, and online resources to help you develop your digital skills and work with new software
• - Relocation expenses package for certain roles
• - Reimbursement of Skilled Worker Visa application fees and Visa loan scheme for additional costs (if applicable to the role)

Further information about life at YSJ

Our attached 'further information' document below provides further information about our culture, achievements and testimonials from our employees.

Closing Date - Sunday 01 November 2026 at midnight

Provisional Interview Date - Wednesday 18 November 2026