School/department: Education & Social Work 
Hours: Part time up to – 0.05 FTE / 4 hours per week.Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).
Location: Brighton, United Kingdom
Contract: fixed term until 30th September 2024
Reference: 21455
Salary: starting at £32,982 to £37,099 per annum, pro rata if part time
Placed on: 29 August 2023
Closing date: 18 September 2023. Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.
Expected Interview date: To be confirmed
Expected start date: 1st October 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.


Job description

An opportunity has arisen within CIRCY (the Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth) for a new fixed-term research assistant. The role will be based and managed in the School of Education and Social Work (ESW).

The purpose of this post is to support the development and delivery of the centre activities (including in-person), thus assisting CIRCY’s contribution to the University research environment. 

About CIRCY

The Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth (CIRCY) is a pan-university research centre which is hosted by the School of Education and Social Work, and directed by Dr Liam Berriman (Social Work). It was recently awarded Centre for Excellence status by the university, for the period 2023-2028.

CIRCY involves members from the social and life sciences, arts and humanities, some of whom represent professional fields – including social work, law, education, psychology, and health. Established in 2012, CIRCY’s research is interdisciplinary and international in scope.

Our diverse research and scholarship are united by a critical engagement with children and young people’s lives in time, and a focus on the rights, voice and welfare of the child or young person at the centre of inquiry.

Principal tasks and accountabilities

The research assistant will provide administrative support and will help organise and deliver research centre activities both in person and online.

This is likely to include contributing to reports and social media activities but will primarily involve: organising events (including booking rooms and refreshments and publicising); supporting activities for staff and postgraduate research students both online in person (e.g. steering groups, seminars, workshops, reading groups, socials); supporting the doctoral researchers’ network; working directly with children and young people to gather images for the annual report.

The time allocation is intended to be taken flexibly through each month and across the year to support the ebbs and flows of the centre activities. Significant tasks (such as events) will be structured and timetabled well in advance with the research assistant, taking into account their existing responsibilities and studies.

Openness to responding to urgent and unexpected requests for support from the Directors is also desirable, although the Centre recognises that the research assistant’s existing commitments outside of the role will need to be priortised.  

Please contact Dr Liam Berriman (l.j.berriman@sussex.ac.uk) for informal enquiries. 

Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship.

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

You can find out more about our values and our EDI Strategy,  Inclusive Sussex, on our webpages.

Download job description and person specification Ref 21455 [PDF 203.40KB]

The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed from the UK. 


How to apply

Download our professional services application form and Personal Details and Equal Opportunities Form and fill in all sections.

You must email your completed application, and personal details and equal opportunities form, to jobapps@sussex.ac.uk

You should attach your application form and all documents to the email in PDF format (we are unable to accept applications as google.docs or .pages) and use the format job reference number / job title / your name in the subject line.

You can also send your application by post to Human Resources Division, Sussex House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH.

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