"Research Assistant/Associate in Principles of Justice for Sustainability Transformations"

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.

The Role
Understanding what works, where, and why (and for whom) is a key focus of a new multi-university consortium: the ESRC-funded Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) Centre. Bringing together five universities in the North of England with partners in the policy, innovation, business, local government, community, and voluntary sectors, JUST seeks to accelerate understanding of a just transition by coordinating research into action at all levels of society.

The successful applicant will principally be responsible for carrying out research on one key aspect of the Centre’s work:

Coordinating research on ‘principles of justice’ in sustainability transitions across the North of England.

A core theme for the JUST Centre is understanding how to join up theory and practice in promoting ‘principles of justice’ in the transition to low-carbon living. The applicant will work closely with the theme leads (Prof. Derek Bell and Prof. Sherilyn MacGregor) to coordinate work under this theme across the Centre. Key tasks will include using qualitative research methods to examine how justice is understood and practiced in just transition initiatives across the North of England, and co-developing and testing a practical ‘just sustainability impact assessment tool’ that helps practitioners to review policies and initiatives.

The successful applicant will take a leading role in the Centre’s Thematic Working and Innovation Group (TWIG) on Principles of Justice.

Beyond this core area, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to broader research across the Centre, including collaborative work across the five study regions (West Cumbria, North East England, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and West Yorkshire), engagement with one or more of the Centre's other key themes, and participation in Centre-wide activities such as workshops and impact-oriented events. This is a unique opportunity to inform the work programme of an exciting new interdisciplinary centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (www.JUST.ac.uk).

The successful applicant will be based at Newcastle University, joining the vibrant Politics group in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. They will be part of a broader community of researchers across the five universities comprising the JUST Centre—Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle—as well as the Young Foundation (impact partner).

JUST is founded on principles of justice, particularly intersectional approaches to addressing injustice and inequality. We aim for the composition of the JUST research team to reflect these principles. Accordingly, we actively seek to recruit in ways that maximize the diversity of the Centre’s membership and strongly encourage applications from individuals from backgrounds historically excluded from research institutions. We also welcome applicants who wish to take on this position part-time.

This post provides an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate to work with leading researchers in a multi-disciplinary research centre and to develop an independent research profile. If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Prof. Derek Bell (derek.bell@ncl.ac.uk).

This post is fixed-term for 2 years with the possibility of extension subject to future funding.