Research Assistant/Associate (Modern British History)

Salary:  

Research Assistant: £33,951 to £35,608 per annum

Research Associate: £36,636 to 41,064.00 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: 29 October 2026

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant/Associate (RA) with a specialism in modern British history to work on an interdisciplinary project entitled, The Night Shift 1850-present: Reimagining Sleep, Work and Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals in English and Scottish Hospitals, led by PI Dr Kristin Hussey and funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project is hosted in the School of History, Classics & Archaeology, which has a vibrant and active research culture: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/hca/about/

The Night Shift is an ambitious research project which aims to radically re-imagine sleep work and wellbeing for healthcare professionals working at night in England and Scotland. Working across medical, environmental and labour histories, the project will provide the first history of the British hospital ward at night. The Night Shift will develop a new framework to understand the lived experience of night shift work by bringing together historical insights with qualitative and Participatory Action Research.

The successful candidate will use historical and archival research to explore the development of night work in hospital settings from the nineteenth century to 2000. They will develop and apply conceptual and methodological approaches to historical night work. The postholder will also help to deliver a variety of public engagement outputs including an exhibition and public programme. Newcastle University is a signatory to the Concordat to support researchers’ career development which entitles researchers up to 10 days annually of personal CPD activities.

This post is a (maximum) 60-month fixed term Research Assistant/Associate in History, and a full-time appointment. The successful candidate will start work as soon as possible after 1 March 2027, ending no later than April 18, 2032. Flexible working is welcome, but the postholder must be willing to travel for fieldwork and other research/engagement activities. 

Applicants with minority and/or host community backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Should the successful applicant require a UK Visa for this role, they will be eligible to apply under the Endorsed Funder Route of the Global Talent Visa. The University will support the applicant through this process.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level. 

Newcastle University is committed to the responsible use of research metrics as part of our research culture and research strategy. We advocate for the transparent, appropriate, and inclusive use of metrics, guided by expert judgment, to support high-quality, impactful research that is open, collaborative and sustainable. Click  here for our full policy statement on the Responsible use of Research Metrics. 

Contact for the post is Dr Kristin Hussey: [email protected] 

To apply, please upload an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining how you meet the essential job criteria. Please also upload one writing sample (e.g. journal article, book chapter, or thesis chapter) that you feel best reflects your research (10,000 words max). 

Key Accountabilities

Research Assistant

• Work closely with the project PI and others in the team on specific research studies/projects relating to The Night Shift 1850-present: Reimagining Sleep, Work and Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals in English and Scottish Hospitals
• Conduct archival and historical research across England and Scotland to trace the development of hospital night working practices and to analyse findings to illuminate lived experience by a wide variety of healthcare professionals
• Attend core meetings with the rest of the team as well as workshops and conferences related to the project
• Collaborate with project team and partners to deliver public and policy outputs including an exhibition, training materials and a policy toolkit
• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience of carrying out archival and historical research in the field of modern British history (post-1800), with a relevant disciplinary focus (ie, history of medicine, labour history, environmental history, sensory history)
• Demonstrable knowledge of relevant historiographical themes and methodologies (ie, sensory approaches, embodiment, temporality)
• Outstanding communication skills for realising research aims, public engagement and outreach, as well as those necessary to work successfully as part of a team
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications and with experience with Nvivo software desirable
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high-quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Willingness to work flexibly, responsively and sensitively to the needs of project participants
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

Research Assistant

• Masters Degree in History or another relevant subject or discipline, such as Medical Humanities, Geography, Sociology, Cultural Studies, etc

In addition for Research Associate

• Awarded PhD in History or another relevant subject or discpline, such as Medical Humanities, Geography, Sociology, Cultural Studies, etc
  
  

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: 29789