Senior Research Associate: JUST Centre

www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk - Jobboard; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading academic institution in the UK is seeking a Senior Research Associate to join the Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations Centre. This position focuses on conducting case studies in West Cumbria and coordinating research on democratic innovations across Northern England. Candidates should have experience in public participation and climate change policy. The role offers flexible working arrangements, promoting work-life balance and diversity in the workplace.

Benefits

Healthy work-life balance

Diverse and inclusive work environment

Employee benefits listed on the university website

Qualifications

• Experience in democratic innovation or public participation.
• Understanding of local government policy on climate change.
• Practical experience in participatory action research.

Responsibilities

• Conduct place-based case studies in West Cumbria.
• Coordinate democratic innovations research across Northern England.

Skills

Democratic innovation and/or public participation

Local government policy and decision making on climate change

Participatory action research

Job description

Overview of the role

Lancaster University is seeking to appoint a Senior Research Associate to work within the Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) Centre. This is a full or part-time position funded for three years (assuming full-time, longer if part-time). We would like to have someone in post by September 2025.

JUST brings together the universities of Lancaster, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle to accelerate understanding of a just climate transition by leading and coordinating research into action at all levels of society. The post-holder will work on two aspects of the Centre’s research agenda that are being led out of Lancaster University. First, place-based case-study research in West Cumbria, focusing on "what works, where, and why (and for whom)" to accelerate a just transition to low-carbon living. Second, coordinating work across the North of England on ‘democratic innovations’, a core theme of the JUST Centre.

About you

A PhD is not a formal requirement for this role. We welcome applications from people who have academic or practical experience in the following areas:

• Democratic innovation and/or public participation
• Local government policy and decision making on climate change and net zero
• Participatory action research with communities in the North of England and/ or focused on issues of justice and sustainability

JUST is founded on principles of justice, particularly intersectional approaches to addressing injustice and inequality. We aim for the composition of the JUST research team to reflect these principles. Accordingly, we actively seek to recruit in ways that maximize the diversity of the Centre’s membership and strongly encourage applications from individuals from backgrounds historically excluded from research institutions. We also welcome applicants who wish to take on this position part-time.

Why work with us

You will be based at Lancaster University, joining the vibrant Climate Citizens research group—a hub of expertise in energy and climate governance. You will also be part of the wider Critical Geographies Research Group within the Lancaster Environment Centre and a broader community of researchers across the five universities comprising the JUST Centre—Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle—as well as the Young Foundation (impact partner).

Lancaster is a research-intensive university. REF 2021 rated 99% of Lancaster's overall research environment as 4* 'world leading' or 3* 'internationally excellent'. Lancaster University provides an environment that strongly supports the needs of each employee, promoting a healthy work-life balance. Find out about more of our employee benefits and life at Lancaster on our website - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/jobs

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Dr Jacob Ainscough, Senior Research Associate ([e-mail]).

Find out what it's like to work at Lancaster University, including information on our wide range of employee benefits, support networks and our policies and facilities for a family-friendly workplace.

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