Project / DepartmentThe Senior Research Officer is ESRC Funded Human Rights, Big Data and Technology project (www.hrbdt.ac.uk) at the University of Essex. HRBDT is a £6m project analysing the human rights implications of emerging technology. The post holder will be attached to the Department of Sociology, which has been consistently ranked among the top UK departments on the basis of its research and is globally ranked 44 in the QS World University Rankings.
Duties of the RoleWe are seeking a highly motivated collegiate individual who can engage with a cutting-edge and highly innovative research programme analysing the human rights implications of emerging technologies. This position is principally linked to research led by Professor Pete Fussey on the uses of emerging technology including AI, Big Data and associated analytics in relation to security and broader surveillance practices. Based in the Department of Sociology, the post holder will also work closely with investigators and other researchers as well as other colleagues across the project and including those assigned to different departments. The researcher will also conduct literature reviews in key areas related to the use of data analytics and new and emerging technologies, engage in data analysis, producing drafts of reports and articles and other research support duties.
The project team has already collected significant quantities of qualitative data and the post-holder will be expected to advance the analysis of this material and contribute towards publications. The wider project team, has also established strong lines of research impact, including relationships with a number of UN agencies, national policy and oversight agencies, international civil society groups and multiple practitioner organisations. The successful candidate will be required to engage constructively and proactively with these organisations and have the opportunity to contribute towards developing high-impact research briefings.
Other duties include managing project and workstream related administrative tasks, engaging across the wider project team. The post holder will also help with the organisation of events and overall administrative support for the wider project and support events and initiatives within the Department of Sociology.
A full list of duties and responsibilities can be found in the job pack.
Qualifications and Skills requiredThe successful candidate will have a relevant doctoral level degree in an appropriate subject addressing the social and human rights implications of new and emerging technologies or be close to completion of PhD. They will have evidence of a developing research agenda, engagement in high-quality research activity and a developing research profile. Familiarity with the literature examining the societal and human rights implications of applications of advanced technologies is essential. The ability to undertake qualitative research and convert research into high quality written outputs is essential and the use of relevant software packages and web-based research are important for this role.
Appointment to this Senior Research Officer post will be on a fixed-term, full-time basis until 30 September 2021 due to the existing funding.
Please note that the University may not be able to issue a Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship for this post.
At the University of Essex, internationalism and diversity is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries, faiths and backgrounds, where you can find the world in one place.
To support this commitment we have our Global Forum, a staff-led network that promotes and celebrates the rich cultural diversity among Essex staff, and our Colchester campus based Faith Centre, which hosts regular services, meetings and events organised by our chaplains and faith representatives. For more information see: https://www.essex.ac.uk/life/student-facilities/religion-and-faith
Please see the attached job pack, which contains a full job description and person specification, which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role plus more information relating to the post. We recommend you read this information carefully before making an application. Applications should be made on-line, but if you would like advice or help in making an application, or need information in a different format, please email the Resourcing Team (resourcing@essex.ac.uk).
*More information: Working at the University