CLOSED – Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Researcher (0.5 FTE) Re-Mediating the Early Book: Pasts and Futures

  • December 14, 2022

Moore Institute, University of Galway

Ref. No. University of Galway 329-22

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 0.5 fixed term position as a Research Associate/Post-Doctoral Researcher/Project Manager based in the Moore Institute at the University of Galway. This position is funded under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and is available from 1st March 2023 to contract end date of 1st March 2027.

Job Description

The successful candidate will become part of the REBPAF research team co-ordinated from the Moore Institute, University of Galway. The successful candidate will play a central role in the University of Galway’s coordination of the REBPAF project encompassing the project’s administration, legal, financial, communication and organisational aspects. They will also contribute to the wider project work packages where tasks are assigned to the University of Galway. The position will combine project management for a large-scale research network and other research duties.

REBPAF focuses on the ways in which 15th- and 16th-century book producers (scribes, printers, entrepreneurs) negotiated the dynamic relations between the manuscript book and the printed book and adapted to the evolving challenges of the market; and it demonstrates the continuing relevance of these cultural and economic negotiations to the modern world. To this end, it unites the interests of present-day organisations that re-mediate the early book – publishers, bookdealers, museums, creative and heritage industries – with those of academic scholarship, with the double aim of (1) engaging a new generation of medievalists and early modernists in an innovative and collaborative research programme that asks fundamental and interdisciplinary questions about the history of the book and the written word and its future in a digital environment; and (2) equipping the researchers recruited to this Doctoral Network with high-level transferable skills and competences to be acquired and applied not just in academic settings but also through secondments and training workshops.

We are looking for a dedicated and highly motivated individual who is passionate about working alongside a group of motivated PhD students and supervisors to serve as project manager for a four-year project, starting in February 2023 and based in the University of Galway, in Ireland. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network “Re-Mediating the Early Book: Pasts and Futures” (REBPAF – grant agreement number 101072698 – funded by the EU, by UKRI and by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation) will bring together 13 doctoral students, four EU academic beneficiaries, 2 academic associate partners in the UK and Switzerland, and 9 associated partners in industry and will have a total budget of around €3.5 million.

Duties:

The successful candidate will conduct their own original research and will manage all training, operational, and financial aspects of the project. The post holder will work with the academic project coordinators (Dr Catherine Emerson and Dr Lindsay Reid) and will be based in the Moore Institute at the University of Galway, and duties will include the following:

  • Managing the day-to-day operational aspects of REBPAF and coordinating researcher activity.
  • Mentoring 13 PhD research students, organizing their training and secondments.
  • Ensuring completion of project documentation in accordance with the grant agreement, keeping documentation updated and correctly filed. Preparing periodic scientific and financial reports.
  • Having a clear picture of the project’s deliverables and timelines, ensuring co-ordination between partners and timely delivery.
  • Conducting original research in line with the theme and objectives of REBPAF, under the direction of the project coordinators and presenting on this research at one of the plenary meetings.
  • Collaborating with colleagues in and beyond the REBPAF network, including industry partners, the Scientific Advisory Board, and the European Commission.
  • Centrally contributing to the communication and dissemination of REBPAF’s research, including writing up research findings for reports, the project website, and social media
  • Organizing and participating in research and training events, including arranging venues and travel related to project meetings and training sessions.
  • Participating in formal training delivery, in line with their area of research expertise.

Essential Requirements:

  • Primary degree in Languages, Literature, History or related subjects
  • 4+ years post qualification relevant research or professional experience
  • Project Management experience
  • Thorough understanding of the research environment both nationally and internationally
  • Fluency in English
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated capacity for teamwork and enthusiasm for working in a research team
  • Self-motivation, flexibility, and willingness to acquire new skills
  • Strong attention to process, detail, and documentation
  • Ability to manage competing demands of work and to meet deadlines
  • Willingness to occasionally travel to research and training events in Europe and the UK
  • A commitment to developing their own transferable skills and research profile to advance their employability prospects beyond the end of the contract period.

Desirable Requirements:

  • PhD in Languages, Literature, History or related subjects
  • 2 years postdoctoral experience in a related field
  • Experience of research administration, financial reporting, and report writing, particularly in the management and delivery of EU projects
  • Fluency in another European language
  • Experience in the design, set up, and maintenance of a project website
  • Experience with events management
  • A record of peer reviewed publications and a desire to publish and communicate research widely

Salary: Point 1 €41,209 to Point 10 Postdoctoral Researcher scale €53,091 per annum pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts (public sector pay policy rules pertaining to new entrants will apply).

Start date: Position is available from 1st March 2023

Continuing Professional Development/Training:

The University of Galway provides continuing professional development supports for all researchers seeking to build their own career pathways either within or beyond academia.  Researchers are encouraged to engage with our Researcher Development Centre (RDC) upon commencing employment – see www.universityofgalway.ie/rdc for further information.’

The Moore Institute has significant experience with the management of EU-funded research projects and will have a support structure with staff available to the successful candidate to guide them through the technical and financial reporting processes required by the EU. 

Further information on research and working at University of Galway is available on Research at University of Galway

For information on moving to Ireland please see www.euraxess.ie

Further information about the Moore Institute is available at https://mooreinstitute.ie/ .

Informal enquiries concerning the post may be made to Dr Emerson and Dr Reid at rebpaf@universityofgalway.ie

To Apply:

Applications to include a covering letter, CV, and the contact details of three referees should be sent, via e-mail (in word or PDF only) to mooreinstitute@universityofgalway.ie Please mark these e-mails clearly REBPAF PROJECT MANAGER APPLICATION in the subject line along with the reference number below

Please put reference number University of Galway 329-22 in subject line of e-mail application.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 5.00 pm 13th January 2023

We reserve the right to re-advertise or extend the closing date for this post.

The University of Galway is an equal opportunities employer.

All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based recruitment.