Research Assistant

To work, on behalf of the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries at The
University of Sunderland in collaboration with Royal Holloway and the
National Theatre in London.

To undertake observational research as part of the National Theatre’s
flagship new programme, Public Acts, designed to encourage participants
from a range of community settings to participate in theatre, with
workshop programmes that are designed in collaboration with community
partners.

To undertake research in community settings across Sunderland and at the
Fire Station, Sunderland.

Research will take the form of observation and interviews of facilitators and
participants and outputs will be demonstrated by the production of a
report. The report will specifically focus on employability and career
development opportunities afforded through the participant engagement
with the project.

To work as part of a team of researchers, led by Professor Helen Nicholson
in the department of Drama, Theatre and Dance at Royal Holloway,
supervised by Dr Adelle Hulsmeier (Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries).

**Key Tasks and**
**Responsibilities
**Faculty Specific**:
community settings and working with theatre professionals. You will
have excellent communication skills, a strong understanding of research
methods, the ability to write industry-facing reports, work as a team and
expected to work evenings and some weekends.

**Generic to all Research Assistant roles**:

- Develop and implement a personal research plan and where appropriate
- related reach-out plan.- Undertake basic research for example by preparing, setting up,

conducting and recording the outcome of experiments and field work,
the development of questionnaires and conducting surveys.
- Conduct literature and database searches.
- Continue to update knowledge and develop skills.
- Seek to exploit the outcomes of research.
- Assist in the supervision of student projects.
- Could be expected to contribute to delivery of modules_ _for example on

the use of research methods and equipment._ _

**Special**
**Circumstances**:
DBS required
Evening and weekend work is required

University of Sunderland
**Role Profile**
Part 2

**Part 2A: Essential and Desirable Criteria**

**Essential**
**Qualifications and Professional Memberships**:
**Knowledge and Experience**:

- Possess sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in the discipline
- and of research methods and techniques to work within own area.- Effective communication skills
- The ability to write industry-facing reports
- Experience of working as part of a team and independently in a professional

setting

**Desirable
**Knowledge and Experience**:

- Experience of undertaking research in community settings and working with

theatre professionals.

**Part 2B: Key Competencies**
**Competencies are**
**assessed at the**
**interview/selection**
**testing stage
**Analysis and Research**
- Designs and uses data gathering and analytical methods appropriate for
- each investigation.- Recognises and accurately interprets patterns and trends.
- Recognises when additional data is required and identifies appropriate
- sources.- Produces reports that identify key issues and findings.

**Communication**

**Oral**:

- Summarises and interprets complex, conceptual and special matters to aid
- others' understanding and aimed at their needs.- Uses appropriate styles and arguments to influence and negotiate
- satisfactory outcomes.- Monitors understanding of others, develops approach and takes corrective

action if required.
**Written**:

- Conveys information of a complex, conceptual and specialist nature using a

range of styles and media selected to meet the needs of others.
- Presents complex information in formats appropriate to non-specialists

without comprising meaning.
- Monitors the reactions of others and takes appropriate steps to remedy any

miscommunications.
**Decision Making**

**Independent decisions**:

- Considers wider impact of decisions, assesses possible outcomes and their
- likelihood.- Uses judgement to make decisions with limited or ambiguous data and
- takes account of multiple factors.- Distinguishes between the need to make a decision, when to defer and

when not to take a decision.
**Collaborative decisions**:

- Helps others to explore options that initially appear to be inappropriate or
- unfeasible and recognise when a decision is or is not needed.- Enables others to contribute to decisions.
- Ensures that options are weighed, outcomes identified and chances of
- success considered.- Challenges decisions, appropriately to ensure consideration and processes
- are robust.**Planning and Organising Resources**
- Suggests ways of improving working practice and use of resources.- Creates realistic plans to achieve own deadlines and objectives.
- Monitors progress of self and or others so that corrective action can be

taken if needed.

**Service Delivery**
- Has accurate and up to date knowledge of services availab