Research Assistant/Associate: Cultural Dynamics

Company description:We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.Job description: Salary: Research Assistant: £31,396 to £32,982 per annum, pro rata Research Associate: £33,966 to £36,024 per annum, pro rata The RoleCultural Dynamics: Museums and Democracy in Motion is a three-year AHRC-DFG funded project led by Professor Susannah Eckersley, Media Culture Heritage (MCH) at Newcastle University, with Professor Guido Fackler, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany. We are investigating the values and narratives, symbols and sites, issues and actors connected to cultural institutions (museums, memory and heritage sites) and their changing role as public spaces of democracy in the UK and in Germany.You will work with Professor Eckersley (the Principal Investigator) and full project team to contribute to collective project goals. Under the leadership and support of the PI, you will undertake research that makes a major contribution to WP5: Issues and Actors, identifying how and why museums and cultural ‘activism' in the UK and Germany are changing as ideas of democracy change, including analysing new museum initiatives and activism connected to museums. You will contribute to collective project outputs and events, including workshops and publications. You will be expected to take a significant role in the organisation and running of events for museum and cultural professionals in order to develop an online toolkit. You will also be responsible for managing and updating the project website.This post is part-time, at 0.8fte (29.6 hours) per week for 18 months from September 2024. Alternatively, a reduced fte for a slightly longer period could be considered (for example 0.6fte for 20 months) - options may be discussed during the application and assessment process.Applications will be considered from those very close to completing their PhD; in this instance you will be appointed as a Research Assistant in the range £31,396 - £32,982 (pro rata) with progression to £33,966 (pro rata) on completion.We anticipate that interviews will be held on Zoom on Tuesday 2 July and Wednesday 3 July.The position is based in Media Culture Heritage (MCH) within the School of Arts and Cultures at Newcastle University www.ncl.ac.uk/sacs. Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Susannah Eckersley susannah.eckersley@ncl.ac.uk.