Research Associate

Job Description

Job Title: Research Associate - Maternal Journal

Posting Start Date: 02/12/2025

Job Id: 1954

School/Department: Education

Work Arrangement: Part Time (Hybrid)

Contract Type: Fixed-term

Salary per annum (£):

Closing Date: 21/12/25

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview

This project, led by Dr Jessica Bradley, Senior Lecturer in Literacies and Language in the School of Education and funded through a British Academy Leverhulme Trust Small Research Grant, investigates creative journaling practice in perinatal health and wellbeing contexts by critically examining practitioner perspectives and experiences. It focuses on 'Maternal Journal' - an international, interdisciplinary arts and health movement established in which provides spaces for mothers and birthing parents for creativity and connection, addressing an urgent need for those with mild to moderate mental health problems. Through narrative interviews and arts-based research methods, including collaging and visual arts, the project addresses a significant gap in knowledge about the scope and scale of global Maternal Journal practice by exploring and examining the diversity of experiences and identities as entangled within practice in arts and health contexts. We are recruiting a Research Associate to work with the PI with the project, including undertaking a detailed literature review and supporting qualitative data generation and analysis.

Main duties and responsibilities

The Research Associate will provide support for the PI with the project, in particular in terms of a detailed literature review of creative maternal health and wellbeing, and support with all aspects of the project including ethical review, data generation, data analysis and contributing to research publications. This postholder will:

• Apply substantial knowledge, skills, and techniques in undertaking detailed literature reviews to develop an in-depth review of literature relating to creative maternal health and wellbeing.
• Work closely with the PI and team across the project's ethical review and maintain ethical processes and records according to institutional requirements, drawing on extensive knowledge of ethical review for research.
• Support with participant recruitment for the study including maintaining a database.
• Work with the PI to support data collection and analysis, including but not limited to co-creating arts-based materials, co-designing interviews, organising data and analysing qualitative data.
• Strengthen engagement and visibility with the project, including dissemination of findings through key networks and with social media, for example Instagram and LinkedIn.
• Work with the project team to contribute to co-writing research outputs including peer-reviewed articles and a monograph.
• Present findings at research seminars, work-in-progress workshops and international conferences.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential or desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

A PhD in a social sciences discipline (or relevant experience)

Essential

Application

Experience and extensive knowledge of undertaking literature reviews for research projects

Essential

Application

Experience of working with creative research methods, including data collection and analysis

Essential

Application

Experience of disseminating research findings using appropriate channels such as LinkedIn, The Conversation, blogging, webpages and Instagram

Essential

Application

Knowledge of research in creative health contexts, including maternal health and wellbeing

Essential

Application

Experience of working with research collaborators (internal and external to TUoS) on shared aims and objectives

Essential

Application

Experience of undertaking ethical review for qualitative research in diverse contexts

Essential

Application

Experience of co-authoring research publications

Essential

Application

Experience of presenting research methods and findings to diverse audiences

Essential

Application

Interest in creative health and journaling in relation to life course rites of passage practices among mothers and young children

Desirable

Application

Further Information

Grade

7.3

Salary

£38,784 (pro rata)

Work arrangement

Part-time 0.08 FTE (2.8 hours per week)

Duration

Line manager

Jessica Bradley

Direct reports

Our website

For informal enquiries about this job contact Dr Jessica Bradley, Senior Lecturer in Literacies and Language, School of Education: on

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: ().

What we offer

• A minimum of 41days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways

• A range of generous family-friendly policies

• paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies

• support for those going through the menopause
• paid time off and support for fertility treatment
• and more

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- (opens in a new window).

Closing Date : 21/12/25

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.