King's College London
School of Global Affairs
Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy
King’s College London
About Us
The School of Global Affairs (SGA) in the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy at King’s is a dynamic hub of multi-disciplinary scholarship that seeks to address the pressing issues facing our world today, including climate change, inequality and global health.
At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practices into all our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming, and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. King’s offers inclusive benefits to staff, including flexible working, Enhanced Parental Leave, funds for Parents and Carers, and the potential to join community staff networks.
About the Role
The Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) will conduct research within the Wellcome-funded Speculative Fertilities: Finance, Pharma, and the Future of Reproduction project. This project aims to transform the social study of reproduction by analysing the intersection of the financial and fertility sectors as a key site of reproductive politics.
Using qualitative methods, the project consists of three work streams analysing case studies that may transform the future of reproduction, including automated IVF, in vitro gametogenesis (IVG), and mifepristone (abortion pill) as contraception.
The advertised position focuses on the latter work stream, which will explore the socio-cultural as well as political-economic dimensions of clinical trials that explore the possibility of using mifepristone as a weekly contraceptive. The research will focus on the social dynamics of both the clinical trials themselves and the steps towards registration, authorisation and implementation after the trial finishes.
This is a full-time role, and you will be offered a fixed-term contract for 36 months.
Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including Grade 7. Further information is available from the Centre for Research Staff Development.
About You
Essential Criteria
- Fluency in English.
- Strong skills in social science research methods, including qualitative methods (e.g. interviews, ethnographic methods, documentary and policy analysis).
- Excellent writing and communication skills, with experience writing publications for academic, public and stakeholder audiences.
- Incipient or growing track record of academic writing (e.g. monographs, reports, working papers, journal publications).
- Ability to develop, conduct and publish independent research studies within the broader research project; ability to manage research data effectively; excellent organisational and time-management skills.
- Academic expertise in reproductive politics and/or pharmaceutical innovation and regulation.
Desirable Criteria
- Demonstrated interest and expertise in abortion and contraception research.
- Demonstrated interest and expertise in the regulation and implementation of pharmaceutical research.
- Experience in relevant quantitative and digital methods.
- Experience working across reproductive or pharmaceutical sectors, for example in relation to policy, research and development, public health, or with people with lived experience.
- Understanding of data confidentiality and data security.
Downloading a Copy of the Job Description
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document provided at the bottom of the page. This document outlines which criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.
Please note that this is a PhD-level role, but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhD will be considered. In these circumstances, the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30, with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.
Further Information
We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.
We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King’s.
As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and through this appointment process, our aim is to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.
All candidates are asked to submit a CV and a supporting statement detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If a strong field of candidates is received, the desirable criteria may be used to select the final shortlist, so applicants are encouraged to provide evidence against these where possible.
To find out how applications are reviewed, please refer to the How we Recruit pages.