Postdoctoral Research Associate in Visual and Material Medical Humanities (Job Number: 25000387)
Department of English Studies
Grade 7: - £38,249 - £45,413 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: 36 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Working Arrangements: In the office and from home.
Closing Date: 28-Apr-2025, 5:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. A good first degree in a subject related to the medical humanities.
2. A PhD (or be close to submission) on a topic that relates to visual and material medical humanities. The PhD must have been submitted at the point of application, but may still be under examination.

EXPERIENCE

1. Experience in conducting high quality academic research.

   1. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals, edited volumes and other scholarly publications. For practice-based research, material outputs may also include digital or visual media, exhibitions, and performances.
   2. Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national and international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.

SKILLS

1. Ability to use suitable research methods to produce high-quality research outputs.
   
   
   
2. Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.

• Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

EXPERIENCE

1. Demonstrable interest and/or experience in conducting research on visual and material culture and/or mobilising visual and material research methods in relation to medical humanities.
2. Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration: previous experience working across disciplines and/or sectors.
3. Strong publication record, commensurate with career stage.
4. A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
5. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.

SKILLS

• Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

THE ROLE

Applications are invited for two Postdoctoral Research Associates in Visual and Material Medical Humanities.
The post holder will be responsible for a) designing and conducting an original programme of individual research that aligns with the aims and objectives of the Visual and Material Lab and b) working with the Lab leader and other members of the Lab team to devise and deliver activities and outputs that extend the profile of visual and material methods in relation to medical humanities research.
We welcome applications from researchers in a range of disciplines, including, but not limited to art and creative practice-based research; art history and visual and material culture; film and media studies; visual and material history; visual anthropology and other social science disciplines with a focus on visual and material media and methods. We would be particularly interested in hearing from applicants working on race and/or neurodiversity, and applicants whose research engages contexts beyond English-speaking cultures and/or the global North.
Post-holders will be expected to contribute to Lab activities which may include but are not limited to: regular participation in Lab meetings, workshops and other events; collaboration in methodological innovation with interdisciplinary and cross-sector partners through a range of modalities; the design and delivery of pilot and proof-of-concept studies; and taking shared responsibility for sustaining a flourishing research culture in the Lab and Platform more broadly. Post holders will also be expected and supported to collaborate with other Labs, Sites, and Researchers across the Platform. Regular participation (in-person as well as virtual) at Site, Lab and Platform activities, as agreed with the Line Manager is essential.
These roles offer an exciting opportunity to make an important contribution to the development of research and methodological innovation within the Platform, while allowing excellent opportunities for career development in an exciting and progressive institution. Working day-to-day in the IMH and the Platform, you will also be based in a suitable academic Department, such as the School of Modern Languages and Cultures or Department of History in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities; the Departments of Archaeology, Anthropology, or Sociology in the Faculty of Social Science.
All staff employed in the Platform have dedicated time for professional development and can access a wealth of existing and bespoke training opportunities in consultation with Lab Leads.
For more information, please visit our Institute and Platform pages at https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/medical-humanities/
https://medhumsplatform.org/
https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/visual-and-material/

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To plan and carry out a programme of individual and collaborative research activity under the direction of the Lab Lead.
• To work with the Lab Lead and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify new areas for research, develop innovative research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To produce high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Lab Lead. Outputs might also include (for example) digital and visual media, exhibitions and performances.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Lab Lead and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To contribute to enhancing the quality of the research culture in the Site, Platform and wider University and beyond through collaborative research activity.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the Institute and wider discipline.
• To further the development of visual and material medical humanities as a flourishing sub-field of scholarship and practice.
  The posts are fixed term for three years. Funding is from the Discovery Research Platform.
  The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.
  Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1/09/2025