Job Description

 

Job Title:                        Post-Doctoral Research Officer

 

Department:                   European Studies and Modern Languages (ESML)

 

Grade:                            7

 

Location:                        Bath Campus

 

Start date:                     1 January 2010 or soon thereafter for 18 months                  

                                       (with possibility of extension of funding).

 

 

Job Purpose and Management

 

Project Title: Support and Opposition to Migration: a Cross National Comparison of the Politicisation of Migration (in Europe)

 

Project Supervisor: Professor Roger Eatwell (ESML and Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences)

 

This is a European Union 7th Framework Programme funded post, based in the Department of European Studies and Modern Languages. The project brings together researchers in the Universities of: Amsterdam; Bath; Brussels; Trinity College Dublin; Manchester; Neuchâtel; and Vienna. Each is responsible for studying developments in their home country, except for Manchester which covers Spain, though an important aspect of the project is to develop comparative insights/theory. Thus the person who holds the post in Bath will focus empirically mainly on developments in Britain. Overall, it is also intended that the project will develop research and ideas for dissemination to public policy makers in the UK, the European Union, and more widely.

 

The Post-Doctoral Research Officer appointed in Bath will help produce a variety of work packages relating to issues such as the demographics of British immigration, legal and policy issues relating to immigration, and media coverage of immigration and related issues. There will be a particular focus on analysing Political and Discursive Opportunity Structures (POS and DOS), though overall the study will test a variety of demand and supply side hypotheses.

 

As well as coming into contact with the broader team of researchers (including other post-docs) on this project, the person appointed will be working within the Department of European Studies and Modern Languages at Bath, which has notable expertise in fields such as extreme right parties and immigration. It should offer the opportunity for developing publications both individually, and collectively.

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

 

1.                   To become familiar with the background literature on the broad issue of migration and politics in Europe, especially Britain, and to gather further information from the literature and web sites.

 

2.                  To undertake empirical work on the project as specified by the Bath PI/the work packages described in the general grant bid using a variety of standard social science methods. The main activities in this context include:  the collection of statistics on immigration; collecting information on Political Opportunity Structures; collecting and helping to code newspaper content on immigration-related issues; collection of opinion poll material on relevant issues; analysing interviews with key informants.

 

3.                  To write first drafts of work package reports, and other material directly related to the project.

 

4.                  To assist the PI with project management (organising meetings, corresponding with the partners).

 

5.                  To undertake any other duties as appropriate within their competence, as required by the PI, and/or the Head of Department from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

Person Specification

 

 

 

 

 

Criteria

Essential

Desirable

Assessed by

 

 

 

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Qualifications

 

PhD degree in subject area of direct relevance for the project (or equivalent standard for overseas applicants)

 

 

 

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Experience/Knowledge

 

Literature on migration into Europe/related political activity.

 

Engaged in collaborative research projects

 

Organised seminar/workshop activity

 

Has (co-)authored the publication of paper(s) in journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Skills

 

Ability to conduct individual research and analysis

 

Ability to write research reports and dissemination of publications

 

General IT skills e.g. spreadsheets, use of the web.

 

Strong Communication Skills

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Attributes

 

Team working.

 

Working independently.

 

Strong communication skills

 

Strong motivation for research

 

 

 

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Code: A/F – Application form, I – Interview, T – Test, R - References