Post-Doctoral Research Assistant

Casual (hours will be offered on an ad-hoc basis in accordance with the University's resource requirements)

Salary: £17.98 to £20.74 per hour (exclusive of holiday pay). Holiday pay is accrued at 12.07% in addition to the hourly rate.

Location: York

Introduction to YSJ University

York St John University is an ambitious, modern university at the heart of historic York and there has never been a more exciting time to join us, as we have launched our new Design Centre and launch new programmes.

As one of the fastest growing universities in the U.K over recent years, we have a strategy for the next decade, emphasising our commitment to widening opportunity through the power of education and contributing our talents to creating a fairer world, and a more prosperous region. We are putting impactful research at the heart of this strategy, recognising our academic expertise as our greatest asset.

The School

The School of the Arts is home to a vibrant culture of creative practice-based research across a wide range of artistic practice and inquiry. We have a thriving research community formed from a range of practitioners, action researchers and traditional researchers across areas including Media and Music Production, Music Composition, Musical Theatre, Music and Performance, Acting, Fine Art, Animation, Design and VR/AR. There are opportunities for colleagues to share research and get involved with wider research projects, and colleagues are encouraged to develop research-informed teaching. We have a combination of early career researchers as well as active senior researchers, and we engage with a range of academic interests that impact our excellent teaching provision and expanding research portfolio. With around 70 staff in the School in total, we are a friendly, creative and collegiate community.

The School’s dynamic research culture covers a diverse set of research areas, but with a collective focus on social justice and community engagement. Its researchers work closely with the University’s Institute for Social Justice and Institute for Health and Care Improvement. The School is also home to groundbreaking projects and groups, including the International Centre for Community Music and Converge, a transformational, award-winning partnership between York St John University and mental health service providers. In REF 2021, over 65% of its outputs were rated internationally excellent, and 50% of its impact case studies were world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour. It is aiming to improve on these results in the next REF.

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a post-doctoral research assistant to work within the School of the Arts. The RA will contribute to research activity within the School by actively engaging in research and contributing to the production of research reports and publications, reporting to the School Research and Knowledge Transfer Lead. They will provide high quality research support and assistance to academics in the School of the Arts.

Working across different projects, the research assistant will provide a range of support to projects lead by research staff in the School to enable the development of high-quality research projects, external funding bids and outputs. They will enable high-excellent research and support staff productivity to assist nascent research projects to become outputs, impact and quality grant applications. The research assistant will help to support and contribute to the School’s REF submission.

The role will provide a maximum of 300 hours support to research projects in the School of the Arts, enabling academics to develop high-quality research outputs, impact and grant application. The role will have a flexible work pattern, with a notional 7.4 hour working week. 

Required Skills and Experience

• A PhD in a subject related to arts (cognate with those of the school) and experience with practice-based/artistic research methodologies
• Knowledge and experience of using a variety of qualitative and/or quantitative research methods of relevance to research projects, and the ability to interpret and analyse results
• The ability to contribute to collaborative research projects, working both independently and under the direction of a project leader
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• High level of proficiency in English

Additional information 

Main contact for further role details: Professor Helen Julia Minors Head of the School of the Arts [email removed]

Unfortunately this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship however we welcome your application if you are able to evidence right to work in the UK via an alternative route.

It is anticipated that the selection process will include an interview. Further details will be provided if you are shortlisted for interview.

Closing Date: 13 Nov 2026

Programme/Section: Admin & Technical (Including Research vacancies)

Salary: 17.98 to 20.74 Hourly Paid