Research Assistant/Associate (Modern British History)

We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant/Associate (RA) with a specialism in modern British history to work on an interdisciplinary project entitled, The Night Shift 1850-present: Reimagining Sleep, Work and Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals in English and Scottish Hospitals, led by PI Dr Kristin Hussey and funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project is hosted in the School of History, Classics & Archaeology, which has a vibrant and active research culture.

The Night Shift is an ambitious research project which aims to radically re-imagine sleep, work and wellbeing for healthcare professionals working at night in England and Scotland. Working across medical, environmental and labour histories, the project will provide the first history of the British hospital ward at night. The Night Shift will develop a new framework to understand the lived experience of night shift work by bringing together historical insights with qualitative and Participatory Action Research.

The successful candidate will use historical and archival research to explore the development of night work in hospital settings from the nineteenth century to 2000. They will develop and apply conceptual and methodological approaches to historical night work. The postholder will also help to deliver a variety of public engagement outputs including an exhibition and public programme.

This post is a (maximum) 60-month fixed term Research Assistant/Associate in History, and a full-time appointment. The successful candidate will start work as soon as possible after 1 March 2027, ending no later than April 18, 2032. Flexible working is welcome, but the postholder must be willing to travel for fieldwork and other research/engagement activities.

Key Accountabilities — Research Assistant:

- Work closely with the project PI and others in the team on specific research studies/projects relating to The Night Shift 1850-present
- Conduct archival and historical research across England and Scotland to trace the development of hospital night working practices and to analyse findings to illuminate lived experience by a wide variety of healthcare professionals
- Attend core meetings with the rest of the team as well as workshops and conferences related to the project
- Collaborate with project team and partners to deliver public and policy outputs including an exhibition, training materials and a policy toolkit
- Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
- Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
- Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
- Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project's dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
- Use research resources as appropriate

Additional Accountabilities — Research Associate:

- Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
- Determine appropriate methodologies for research
- Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
- Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
- Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
- Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

- Experience of carrying out archival and historical research in the field of modern British history (post-1800), with a relevant disciplinary focus (i.e. history of medicine, labour history, environmental history, sensory history)
- Demonstrable knowledge of relevant historiographical themes and methodologies (i.e. sensory approaches, embodiment, temporality)
- Outstanding communication skills for realising research aims, public engagement and outreach, as well as those necessary to work successfully as part of a team
- Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
- Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
- Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
- Excellent IT skills in all major office applications and with experience with Nvivo software desirable
- The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

Additional for Research Associate:

- Awareness of the research environment
- High level of analytical and problem-solving capacity
- Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
- Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high-quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour:

- Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
- Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
- Willingness to work flexibly, responsively and sensitively to the needs of project participants
- Commitment to continued professional development
- Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications:

Research Assistant: Masters Degree in History or another relevant subject or discipline, such as Medical Humanities, Geography, Sociology, Cultural Studies, etc.

Research Associate (in addition): Awarded PhD in History or another relevant subject or discipline, such as Medical Humanities, Geography, Sociology, Cultural Studies, etc.

Benefits include a generous holiday package with the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes, and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives. Newcastle University is a signatory to the Concordat to support researchers' career development which entitles researchers up to 10 days annually of personal CPD activities.