Digital Media Artist / Research Assistant

This is an exciting opportunity for a Digital Media Artist to join our creative research team for the Dance Connects in Rural Border Regions project, funded by an award to Cavan County Council from the Creative Ireland ‘Creative Communities on a Shared Island’ Programme. The post-holder will support the creative practice and public engagement strands of the project in the areas of interactive installation co-design, installation touring support, and public engagement activities. This is a collaborative project led by Professor of Dance Aoife McGrath, Queen's University Belfast, and social scientist, Dr Victoria Durrer, University College Dublin. A main activity for the postholder will be to collaborate with a choreographer (McGrath) on the design and touring of an interactive Digital Media installation that captures and projects visitors' movements in real time.

This is a part-time post and applicants can work either 22.2 hours (0.6FTE) or 25.9 hours (0.7 FTE). The post will run from appointment date to project end in October 2025.

More information about the project: Dance Connects partners local authorities of Cavan, Monaghan and Fermanagh-Omagh with researchers from QUB and UCD, and practitioners of diverse dance communities in their border areas. Employing an innovative, creative engagement approach combining dance practice-as- research and social science, the project is delivered through four interrelated actions that respond to the main areas of development identified in the research partners' recent (2023) Creative Ireland/Cavan Arts funded pilot project, Sites of Significance. The project will consolidate new connections forged through that project, and also co-develop an innovative method of engaging with dance communities and the general public in further, rural border regions on, and off, the island.

About the person:

We require the post-holder to undertake a specified programme of creative practice and public engagement under the mentorship of Co-Lead, Professor Aoife McGrath (QUB), including co-design and creation of an interactive digital installation and co-management of a touring exhibition to venues across the island of Ireland. Main activities of the post-holder would also include: managing the development of the project website to disseminate and publicise research findings to external audiences; Preparation, in consultation with McGrath and Durrer, of digital material for publication online and in academic journals; Working together with the Project Co- ordinator/Cavan Arts Office and partner venues to assist with planning of touring exhibition.

Key Essential Criteria:

- An academic or vocational qualification in digital arts or related discipline.

- Previous experience working in the fields of practice related to digital arts/media encompassed by the project.

- Demonstrable experience in the design and implementation of interactive technology for Digital Media in performance and/or installation. This can include experience in real-time moving image capture and generation, motion sensing, coding and/or immersive technologies.

- Demonstrable ability for public engagement activities as evidenced by, for example, experience working on previous projects with public engagement elements.

- Evidence of Digital Media design and computer literacy including experience of working with online engagement and organisation tools (e.g., social media platforms, event booking platforms).

- Ability to travel to venues across the island of Ireland for project activities and to work outside of normal office hours, if required.

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information.

Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

What we offer:

Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work-life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find here https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/pay-reward-and-benefits/

Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.