"Senior Research Associate in Environmental Sustainability and Future Networks (Social Science), Centre for Sociodigital Futures"

The role

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Research Associate (SRA) to join the ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures (www.bristol.ac.uk/research/centres/sociodigital-futures/). The SRA will join the team working across the Consuming Futures Domain of Practice and the High-Performance Network (HPN) Technical Affordance Project (TAP) on a study that explores the environmental sustainability of future 5G and 6G networks. Significant progress has been made on modelling the technical infrastructure and environmental impacts of 5G. The successful applicant will work on the development of complementary social science perspectives on future networks and environmental sustainability, with a particular emphasis on 6G.

What will you be doing?

The main tasks will include:

• Contributing to the design, management and implementation of social science fieldwork for the High-Performance Networks and Environmental Sustainability project.
• Collaborating with the interdisciplinary project team to deliver integrative research on the sociodigital futures of 5G/6G.
• Working with the Centre’s strategic partners (for example BT, Defra) to consider the potential impact of the research.
• Playing a lead role (with support) in data analysis, and in the preparation of project outputs (including academic publications, blogs, and wider engagement).

You should apply if

• Significant background knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: (1) Science and Technology Studies (STS), (2) Sociological (and/or related, e.g. Human Geography or Innovation Studies) approaches to Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), (3) digital technologies and/or infrastructure.
• Strong qualitative research skills, including experience of key informant interviews and a willingness to work with documentary and secondary data.
• Experience of or capacity for/interest in interdisciplinary research across Social Science and Computer Science/Engineering
• An interest in futures research and awareness of relevant theories and methods
• Experience of or capacity for/interest in collaboration with non-academic stakeholders, including impact and engagement activities.
• Familiarity with ethical and data governance requirements for research.

Additional information

For informal queries about the role please contact: Professor David M. Evans d.m.evans@bristol.ac.uk

Contract type: Open Ended contract with fixed funding for 12 months

Work pattern: Full time (100% time/1FTE)

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Monday 24th November 2025

Interviews are anticipated to take place on Thursday 11th December 2025

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.