Apologies for cross-postings

Please find details below for two RA posts on the AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society Programme project 'Sexuality and Global Faith Networks) based at the University of Leeds.

Informal enquiries to Gill Valentine (Geography), email [log in to unmask] or Robert Vanderbeck (Geography), email [log in to unmask] or Kevin Ward (Theology and Religion), email [log in to unmask]

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Faculty of Environment
School of Geography

Research Assistant (2 posts)
Tenure: Post 1 (Full time) fixed term (20 months) from 1st February 2008 
	  Post 2 (Full time) fixed term (20 months) from 1st May 2008 	

Applications are invited for two fixed term appointments as Research Assistants working on an AHRC project entitled: Sexuality & Global Faith Networks: a social topography with Professor Gill Valentine, Dr Robert Vanderbeck (both Geography) and Dr Kevin Ward (Theology and Religion) at the University of Leeds.

Working partly in the UK and partly in either the United States or South Africa the duties of both the posts will include carrying out extensive on-line and off-line searches for relevant academic literatures, policy/reports and media.  You will also conduct discourse analysis; participant observation (in collaboration with other team members); organise and conduct interviews with key informants and liaise with a transcription service.  It is expected that you will then code and analyse qualitative data (under supervision, as part of a team); produce regular written progress reports; liaise with stakeholders and potential 'users' of the research and prepare material for publication. 

You should also be able to prepare summary reports for the research participants, user groups and the AHRC; attending advisory group meetings and AHRC Religion and Society programme events/activities and be willing to carry out other administrative tasks.

University Grade 7 (£27,466 - £32,796 p.a)

Information about the School of Geography and the project can be found at http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/  Informal enquiries to Gill Valentine, email [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] or Robert Vanderbeck, email [log in to unmask] or Kevin Ward, email [log in to unmask]

To apply on line please visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk and click on 'jobs'.  Application packs are also available from Louise Dyson, HR Officer, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, tel +44 (0)113 343 3311, email [log in to unmask]

Job ref 216043 (Post 1)   Job ref 216044 (Post 2)   
Closing date Friday 23 November 2007

Interviews are likely to be held on Tuesday 18 December 2007
Further particulars

Responsible to: 	Head of School 

Reporting to: 	Professor Gill Valentine

Summary of post:

The two fixed term appointments will work as Research Assistants working on an innovative AHRB project entitled: Sexuality & Global Faith Networks: a social topography with Professor Gill Valentine, Dr Robert Vanderbeck (both Geography) and Dr Kevin Ward (Theology and Religion) at the University of Leeds. 

Main duties and responsibilities of the post

Post 1: The successful applicant will be required to work full-time on the project. He/she will be in post from the commencement of the AHRC award and will responsible for the initial start-up of the project; setting up and conducting half of fieldwork in the UK (in partnership with RA 2), and all of the fieldwork in either the United States or South Africa. As such this post holder will be required to spend up to nine months in either the United States based at City University of New York or in South Africa based at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg) (to be decided by the investigators). It is expected that this person will have a postgraduate degree in a relevant academic subject or relevant experience as a Research Assistant. Experience of qualitative research is essential.

Post 2: The successful applicant will be required to work full-time on the project and will be responsible for conducting half of the fieldwork in the UK (in partnership with RA 1) and all of the fieldwork in either United States or South Africa. As such this post holder will be required to spend up to nine months in either the United States based at City University of New York or in South Africa based at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg). (to be decided by the investigators). He/she will be in post towards the end of the AHRC award and will therefore be responsible for organising dissemination and knowledge transfer events/activities. It is expected that this person will have a postgraduate degree on a relevant academic subject or relevant experience as a Research Assistant. Experience of qualitative research is essential.

Duties of both posts will include: carrying out extensive on-line and off-line searches for relevant academic literatures, policy/reports and media; discourse analysis; conducting participant observation (in collaboration with other team members); organising and conducting interviews with key informants; liaising with a transcription service; coding and analysing qualitative data (under supervision, as part of a team); producing regular written progress reports; liaising with stakeholders and potential 'users' of the research; preparing material for publication; preparing summary reports for the research participants, user groups and the AHRB; attending advisory group meetings and AHRC Religion and Society programme events/activities; preparing and circulating copies of project materials between the investigators; and photocopying, filing and other day-to-day routine project administration tasks.

Other relevant information

Due to the nature of some of the events where participant observation fieldwork will take place and the logistical problems of arranging interviews, the research may involve some out of normal 'office hours' (i.e. 9am-5pm) commitments (e.g. evening and/or weekend work). The Research Assistants will therefore be required to be flexible and will be allowed time off in lieu in respect of these commitments.

The costs of accommodation and transport while conducting fieldwork outside Leeds will be funded by the project.

Career Expectations

The University of Leeds is committed to developing its staff.  All staff participate in the Staff Review and Development scheme and we continue to work with individuals supporting them to maximise their potential.

Progression to a higher grade is dependent on an individual taking on an increased level of responsibility.  Vacancies that arise within the area or across the wider University are advertised within 'the Recruiter' vacancy bulletin to allow staff to apply for wider career development opportunities.

How to Apply

Completed applications including a sample of your writing (e.g. a journal paper, report, a chapter of a thesis)  should be returned to Louise Dyson, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> , quoting job ref 216043 (post 1) or 216044 (post 2) not later than 23 November 2007.

Applications should include the following: 

·  A completed application form.  If you wish to download an application form please visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/policy/forms.htm <http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/policy/forms.htm> 

·  A Curriculum Vitae/information requested on page 2 of the form. 

·  Equal Opportunities Monitoring form (Enclosed).  Please return the Form in a separate envelope (enclosed) marked 'EOs Monitoring'.  If you wish to complete the Equal Opportunities monitoring form on line please visit:

http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/equalopps/ <http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/equalopps/> 

 Replies will be treated in complete confidence.

If you are selected for interview you can expect to hear from the University not later than 4 weeks after the closing date. If you are not selected for interview the University will not contact you again. 

Please note that if you are appointed to this post you must be able to supply proof of the right to work in the UK. If you do not have the right to work in the UK the University will apply to the Border and Immigration Agency (formerly known as the Home Office) to obtain a Work Permit for you. We are obliged by European law to appoint people who are citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) where possible. A Work Permit will therefore only usually be granted by the Border and Immigration Agency where there is a skills shortage for a particular post.

Disabled Applicants
The post is located in the Geography Building.  Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the building are invited to contact the department direct.  Additional information may be sought from Disability Services, e-mail [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>  or tel + 44 (0)113 343 3927.
Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act once their disability becomes known.

 
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Robert M. Vanderbeck, PhD
Lecturer in Human Geography
Programme Coordinator, MA in Social and Cultural Geography
and MA in Human Geography with GIS

School of Geography
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT

[log in to unmask]
+44 (0)113 343 6753