Research Fellow

Part time (0.75 FTE)
Fixed term for 30 months

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 26 June 2023.

There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.

For the purposes of sponsorship, this is a postdoctoral role under SOC code 2119.

The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.

The successful candidate will be joining an international meta-ethnographic research project that involves a network of investigators in the field of dementia working alongside community development projects involving people living with dementia. The three-year study includes six fieldsites in three countries that will critically explore the policy prominent notion of ‘dementia-friendly communities’. We aim to work closely with people living with dementia and their care partners at every level and stage of the research exploring the experience of living with dementia in a community setting. Over a three-year period, the project will first gather evidence at a local and national level before linking up with our sister teams in Canada and Germany to integrate our learning and produce recommendations to inform and enhance policy-making at local, national and international levels.

The project is currently set to run until the end of February 2026 and this post is offered on a fixed term basis at 0.75 FTE over a period of 2.5 years. The University of Stirling team will work in partnership with the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, and internationally with the University of Giessen in Germany and the Universities of British Columbia and Lakehead in Canada. The researcher will be required to communicate and co-ordinate over distance with the different team members as well as engaging with local stakeholders and people living with dementia across Stirling.

Additional Information / Special Conditions

This role requires in-depth research in the Stirling area and applicants will be required to either live in the area or be within commutable distance of Stirling throughout the study. Some travel nationally and internationally is likely.

Please see attached the organisational structure for this role.

The post-holder will be expected to:

• Work closely with the principal investigator to ensure the successful implementation of the study
• Lead on the organisation, collection and analysis of data including:
• Use a mix of creative approaches to interview people with dementia as well as other stakeholders including local and national policymakers
• Ensure secure storage and back up of data in compliance with appropriate regulations
• Contribute to a review and analysis of relevant policy
• Liaise closely with our international partners, especially counter-part researchers in the other fieldsites
• Create and maintain good lines of communication with research partners, key stakeholders and research participants throughout the study (including communication with German speaking collaborators)
• Resolve problems of meeting research objectives and deadlines
• Assess, interpret and evaluate outcomes of research
• Write or contribute to reports and journal articles
• Make presentations at conferences or exhibit work in other appropriate events
• Contribute to the social media profile of the project
• Contribute to project meetings, maintain appropriate project records and ensure the documentation is compliant with research governance processes
• Collaborate actively within and beyond the Institution to complete research projects and advance thinking
• Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding
• Participate in and develop external networks
• Work to deadlines to enable completion of the project on schedule
• Monitor research budgets

Qualifications

• Hold a relevant PhD or extensive relevant research experience

Knowledge/experience

• Have experience of conducting ethnographic and/or place-based research
• Expertise in qualitative data collection and analysis
• Demonstrate understanding of the experience of living with dementia or other comparable chronic illnesses
• Have experience of successfully conducting high quality research both independently and collaboratively within strict timescales

Skills/attributes

• Be comfortable talking to people living with dementia and a wide range of other stakeholders including policymakers
• Be able to critically assess, interpret and evaluate the outcomes of research
• Have excellent communication (written and verbal) skills and experience of writing/contributing to publications and other research dissemination skills including presentation and social media skills
• Be skilled in communicating complex and conceptual ideas to those without specialist knowledge in the field
• Have excellent collaboration skills with a diverse range of research partners
• Have excellent organisation and planning skills, including experience in prioritising multiple tasks, and meeting significant deadlines
• Have experience of developing excellent relationships with research participants in a variety of settings
• Have strong attention to detail
• Have an understanding of and commitment to participatory research

• An understanding of dementia
• Experience of identifying and recruiting a diversity of research participants
• Experience in working across language differences
• Experience of designing and maintaining databases
• Confidence in use of Nvivo

The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.

The University of Stirling is committed to providing education with a purpose and carrying out research which has a positive impact on communities across the globe – addressing real issues, providing solutions, and helping to shape society. Stirling is 4th in Scotland and 43rd in the UK for research impact, with 87% of its research having an outstanding or very considerable impact on society – and more than 80% rated either world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

The University of Stirling is ranked among the top 30 UK universities for student satisfaction (National Student Survey) and top 30 in the UK for postgraduate student experience (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey), and has an overall five-star rating in the QS Stars University Ratings.

More than 17,000 students study with the University of Stirling globally, with over 140 nationalities represented on its scenic central Scotland campus alone. The University – also home to 1,700 staff – is ranked first in the UK and top three in the world for its campus environment (International Student Barometer 2022, wave two). Ranked first in the UK and top five in the world for its sports facilities (International Student Barometer 2022, wave two), Stirling is Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence. Its world-class facilities provide the perfect training environment for the University’s sports scholars – many of whom compete at the highest level, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games – and for students, staff, and the wider community.

The University has twice been recognised with a Queen's Anniversary Prize – the first for its Institute for Social Marketing and Health (2014) and the second for its Institute of Aquaculture (2019).

The University is a signatory to the £214 million Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal and a central partner of the Forth Valley University College Health Partnership.
www.stir.ac.uk @stiruni