Job description
The King’s Sanctuary Hub is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to shape and develop its research on forced migration and Higher Education. Launched in July 2022, the Sanctuary Hub brings together migration researchers from across King’s and from partner universities with civil society, government, business and sanctuary seekers to develop collaborative research that positively shapes (inter)national migration policy and practice.
The successful candidate will work with the Director of the King’s Sanctuary Programme as well as with researchers from partner universities.
The research fellowship consists of two core aspects:
- Co-ordination of Sanctuary Hub research projects
- Development of the Hub’s core research project ‘ACCESS’, including a large grant application.
Grounded in both academic research and practical action, ‘ACCESS’ is one of the Hub’s current core research projects. Drawing on the University Sponsorship Model developed by King’s and partners, the project seeks to:
- Map existing safe pathways into UK Higher Education for forcibly displaced students and academics
- Create a better understanding of lived experiences of these pathways
- Co-develop a Higher Education sponsorship pathway for forcibly displaced students and academics.
The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to develop their own research in the area of forced migration and Higher Education. We are particularly interested in research that focus either on access to and thriving in Higher Education for forcibly displaced students and academics, and/or the hostile environment in the Higher Education sector. The successful candidate will also be supported and expected to contribute to project-related engagement activities, including event organisation, conference and workshop participation, presentation of findings, and writing publications.
The work of the Sanctuary Hub is informed by a methodology of listening, relationship-building and co-creation with all partners, including sanctuary seekers. We are looking for a candidate with knowledge of co-creative research methodologies as well as other qualitative research methods.
The post is a full-time position until 31 July 2025. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will be based at King’s College London, able to work in a hybrid model, primarily located in central London.
The post will involve travel for conferences and workshops.
The successful candidate will benefit from working in an international research environment with the option to gain teaching experience if desired, and with significant opportunities to receive further training and establish academic networks. We would welcome applications from those with lived experience of forced migration and will consider contextual applications.
This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract until 31 July 2025.
This is a full time post – 100% full time equivalent
Essential criteria
- Research expertise on forced migration, preferably in the context of Higher Education, at the doctoral or postdoctoral level, including familiarity with critical migration and border studies scholarship
- PhD or equivalent experience in related area
- Previous experience of conducting high quality desk-based and empirical research, including co-creative and other qualitative methodologies
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Collegiality and willingness to work as part of a team
- Commitment to contributing to diversity and inclusion efforts
Desirable criteria
- Evidence or emerging evidence of developing social and policy impact
- Knowledge of UK migration policy
- Demonstrable experience of partnership or stakeholder management