Research Associate in Equitable Energy Systems

University of Bristol; West of England; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Bristol is seeking a Research Associate to join the SHINE project within the School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering. You will work with international partners to design and pilot energy systems in The Gambia and Ghana, contributing to energy access research and policy impact.

You will collect qualitative data through interviews and focus groups, analyse themes, and help integrate the SHINE framework with field data.

Qualifications

• Strong background in qualitative social science, ideally within energy access.
• Ability to conduct participatory methods and code/analyze interviews, focus groups, and transect walks.
• Ability to analyze quantitative data and use SPSS, MATLAB, REDCap and Excel for statistics.

Responsibilities

• Implement pilot energy systems in The Gambia and Ghana with international partners.
• Conduct overseas fieldwork and collect qualitative data (interviews, focus groups, transects).
• Design and refine the SHINE framework using pilot data and collaborate with the SHINE team.
• Support project administration, ethical applications, and reporting; some travel to partner sites.

Skills

Qualitative methods

Participatory methods

Cross-cultural communication

Data analysis (qual & quant)

Tools

SPSS

MATLAB

REDCap

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The role

The role

This is an opportunity to work within the ambitious and impactful SHINE project, bringing together an international, transdisciplinary team to understand and improve the design of energy systems to have a positive impact on well-being and inclusion in The Gambia and Ghana. Working with academic institutions, internationally recognised organisations, and government ministries in Ghana, The Gambia, South Africa, Nepal and Brazil, the project will research and develop design methodologies and pilot energy interventions that seek to drive an inclusive energy transition.

What will you be doing?

The role holder will closely collaborate with the international partners to implement pilot energy systems in The Gambia and Ghana, which will include overseas fieldwork. The role holder will follow a mixed-method approach, collecting and examining predominantly qualitative data (including but not limited to interviews, focus groups, participatory mapping) from the pilot energy systems. In addition, they will be integral in designing and refining the holistic SHINE framework incorporating data from the pilot energy systems. They will work closely with the broader SHINE team to understand the implications of the data and develop methods to further understand the linkages between energy systems and well-being.

You should apply if

You will have a strong background in qualitative social science, ideally within the energy access sector, with the ability to conduct participatory methods as well as code, analyse and draw out key themes from interviews, focus groups, and transect walks that can be used to inform energy system design and future policy. You will also be able to analyse quantitative data, with the ability to use programmes like SPSS, MATLAB, REDCap and Microsoft Excel to draw out statistical measures. You should have experience working with international, transdisciplinary teams, so you must be able to communicate clearly, effectively, and respectfully across cultures, languages and disciplines. You will need to support the project administration, including developing ethical applications and ensuring that the project adheres to relevant University of Bristol requirements for research studies as well as necessary reporting. You will likely need travel as part of this post, with visits to the partners in The Gambia and Ghana to collaborate on the pilot studies. Previous international travel experience is advantageous.

Additional information

To find out more about what it's like to work in the Faculty of Engineering, and how the Faculty supports people to achieve their potential, please see our staff blog: https://engineering.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/category/engineering-includes-me/

Contract type: Open-ended with fixed funding (01/01/2027 to 31/12/2027)

Work pattern: Full-time

Grade: I/pathway 2

Salary: £40,704 - £45,641 per annum

School/Unit: School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Wednesday 4th November 2026

The interviews will take place shortly after the closing date

For informal queries please contact: Dr Charlotte Ray: [e-mail] or Dr Sam Williamson: [e-mail]

Our strategy and mission

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

Available documents

• ACAD108741 -Research Associate - Job Description (1).pdf