Research Associate for an International Comparative Study of the Role of Grandparents in Family Life

Institute of Gerontology, King’s College London

Applications are invited for a 12 month full-time research associate post funded by a grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in partnership with Grandparents Plus and the Beth Johnson Foundation.  Applications are invited from those with an interest in family policy and grandparenting from an international perspective. The post holder will be involved in an exciting new international project bringing together a team of researchers from the Institute of Gerontology (IoG) at King’s College London (KCL) along with several European partners. The research programme focuses on how the role of grandparenting within the context of family life varies across Europe and how different policy environments (focusing on family policy) help to shape these roles.  He/she will have day-to-day responsibility for the quantitative element of the research, including the management and analysis of large-scale national datasets such as the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Survey of Ageing Health and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

The Institute of Gerontology at King’s College London is one of the leading gerontological research and teaching centres world-wide.    Founded in 1986, the Institute is at the vanguard of multi-disciplinary research and teaching, acting as a bridge between the social and clinical sciences.  The Institute’s inter-disciplinary nature is reflected in its broad research sponsorship base; it has received funding from UK Research Councils (i.e. ESRC, MRC, EPSRC & AHRC), from numerous charities concerned with the welfare of older people, and from government (including the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions).  The Institute’s recent research has included the study of: elder abuse; pensions and poverty; housing and technology; the health and social concerns of ‘new’ ageing populations; end of life care and bereavement; the demography of informal care; falls prevention among older people; and the biology of natural ageing. Current research is focused on three core areas: (i) ageing policy, health and healthcare; (ii) ageing policy & family life; and (iii) global ageing. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Gerontology was submitted at as part of the Health Services Research category ranking fourth out of 24 units of assessment in terms of research power.  The RAE results are testimony to the Institute’s strengths in ageing policy, families, health and healthcare.

This post is ideally suited to a candidate who has research experience in this area, and in particular, who has a proven ability to carry out statistical analysis of complex survey data.

The appointment will be made up to Grade 6 (point 33), currently £35,074 per annum inclusive of London Allowance. Benefits include an annual season ticket loan scheme.

For an informal discussion of the post please contact Dr. Karen Glaser on 0207 848 2554, or via email at [log in to unmask]  For more information please see 
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ACV409/research-associate-for-an-international-comparative-study-of-the-role-of-grandparents-in-family-life/.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 10th of July 2011.

Interviews will be held on 21st of July 2011.

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