Research Assistant/Associate in Just Sustainability Transformations in North East England

Salary: 

Research Assistant: £33,002 - £34,610  per annum

Research Associate: £35,608 - £37,694 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 11 January 2026

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 role holder will principally be responsible for carrying out place-based case-study research in North East England.

In line with the JUST Centre's commitment to learning "what works, where, and why (and for whom)" to accelerate a just transition to low-carbon living, the applicant will identify and investigate examples of place-based transition initiatives in North East England. This work will involve using mixed methods to understand how and why the identified initiatives were successful and what lessons they may hold for the wider region and the UK. The role may also include participatory action research (PAR), partnering with local actors to develop and scale up transition initiatives.

This work will be carried out in collaboration with the Centre's North East Place Lead, Professor Danny MacKinnon. Beyond this key role, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to broader research across the Centre, including collaborative work across the five study regions (West Cumbria, Northeast 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 ).

The successful applicant will be based at Newcastle University, joining the vibrant Geography unit and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development (CURDS) 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. Danny MacKinnon ).

This post is Fixed Term for 2 years with the possibility of extension subject to future funding

Key Accountabilities

Major Duties:

Working closely with the North East Place Lead to conduct case study research on place-based sustainability initiatives in the regionWorking with the Centre's Place Advisory Network for the North East to inform and support the place-based researchEstablishing and maintaining relationships with local stakeholders and communities, including local government, businesses, third-sector organizations, and community groupsWorking collaboratively with other place-based researchers and Place Leads across the North of England as appropriateCollaborating with colleagues across the JUST Centre to facilitate joint learning and integrate research findings into the broader evidence base generated by the CentreParticipating in national and international conferences and workshops (both academic and policy-related) to present project results and engage a wide set of stakeholdersContributing to the creation of project outputs—academic publications, blogs, website content, social media, and policy briefs—and maintaining a consistently high output of internationally recognized publications and research briefs, co-authored with project partners where appropriateDeveloping an independent research profile with support and guidance, aligned with the needs of the projectContributing to new research proposals based on the expertise and insights developed through this projectContributing to academic life in Geography within the broader School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Research interests and skills closely aligned with the focus on undertaking place-based research to assess "what works where, and why (and for whom)"in the transition to low-carbon livingExperience of conducting field-based research using a range of relevant research methodsExperience of collaborating with stakeholders, e.g., government representatives, businesses and communitiesExperience of carrying out independent research in collaboration with colleagues and diverse research partnersEffective interpersonal skills including evidence of working collaboratively within a team and providing appropriate guidance for colleaguesGood organisational skills, including project management, organisation of data, data archiving, and producing research outputs to deadlinesExperience of writing up research for publication and ability to publish, either as a sole or joint author, in high-quality academic journalsKnowledge of the North East of England region

Attributes and Behaviour

Commitment to carrying out research, engagement, and impact both as a member of a team and independentlyCollaborative ethosPositive attitude to colleagues and research participants/partnersInterest in seeking external funding to support researchCommitment to personal development and updating of knowledge and skills

Qualifications

For appointment at Research Associate grade - A PhD in a relevant social science discipline (e.g. Geography, Planning, Sociology, Politics, Environmental Studies, Anthropology)For appointment at Research Assistant grade – a Degree and/or Masters in a relevant social science discipline   

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 28840

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