Apologies for any cross-postings

Fully funded ESRC CASE PhD Studentship
University of Sheffield and Department for Work and Pensions.

Exploring the effects of multiple socio-economic and geographical
disadvantages on employment outcomes.

ESRC CASE partner: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
(http://www.dwp.gov.uk/).

Applications are invited for a 3-year fully funded ESRC CASE Studentship
commencing October 2006. ESRC CASE studentships include full payment of fees
at the UK/EU rate, 3-year maintenance grant (in the region of £12k tax free
per annum) and will also involve additional training support from the
collaborative partner.

This PhD project will investigate the effects that multiple socio-economic
and geographic disadvantages have upon the employment opportunities of
individuals living in different types of localities across Britain. The
project will use DWP's in-house dataset called the Work and Pensions
Longitudinal Study (WPLS). This new dataset is itself the combination of
Inland Revenue employment data and DWP benefits data, and as such, is only
available to be used by very small numbers of people. The successful
candidate will therefore have unique access to an extremely rich dataset
that has yet to be fully explored.

The project will combine this data with publicly available data from the UK
Population Census and surveys such as the British Household Panel Survey.
This will be done using cutting edge micro-simulation and data fusion
techniques.

By doing all of the above, it is intended that the doctoral student will
address questions such as:

- What are the main factors affecting the probabilities that individuals who
are out of work will enter or re-enter the labour market and how are these
changing over time?

- How do the varying probabilities associated with each factor also vary
from place to place?

- Are individuals who suffer from multiple disadvantage much more likely to
be living in deprived areas than individuals who do not suffer multiple
disadvantage?

-What are the socio-economic and geographic factors affecting the social
mobility of different types of individuals?

-How do DWP policies affect different types of individuals? Do the outcomes
of these policies vary geographically and could outcome variability be a
result of any spatial variation identified above?

The above questions are only indicative and may be adapted as the PhD
research evolves. The proposed research will need to begin with extensive
review of the literature on multiple socio-economic and geographic
disadvantages. It should also provide an extensive critical review and
evaluation of existing socio-economic and geographic data sets and it will
assess their potential to be combined with the DWP's in-house dataset  to
address the above research questions. It will also investigate the impact of
government policies that attempt to improve the chances that those at
disadvantage and out-of-work will be able to move into work.

In line with ESRC recommendations on recruitment, we anticipate that the
successful applicant will have completed a recognised postgraduate research
training programme, or can demonstrate that the level of training already
undertaken is in line with the requirements set out by the ESRC.  The
successful candidate will be a member of the rapidly expanding Social and
Spatial Inequalities (SASI) research group
(http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sasi/) and will also have access to the computer
labs and office space in the University's newly founded Informatics
Collaboratory for the Social Sciences (ICOSS)
(http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/icoss/home.htm)

Applications will be required to meet ESRC residential eligibility
requirements.

Informal enquires about this studentship to Dr Dimitris Ballas
([log in to unmask]; telephone: 0114 2227923)

Applications for the above is by way of an application form which may be
obtained from the Postgraduate Secretary in Geography: Miss Selena Anderson
(e-mail: [log in to unmask] or telephone 0114 2227902).
Alternatively, applications may be submitted on-line via:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/index.html

Deadline for applications is Friday 7 April 2006.