Research Associate in Immersive Opera

Research Associate in Immersive Opera

Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Fixed-Term (3 years), full time (35 hours per week)

Salary range: £41,360 - £46,050 per annum (including Inner London Weighting), depending on experience/performance

‘Immersive Opera’ is a UKRI-funded research project aimed at exploring and developing new methodologies and technologies to create immersive opera experiences. This project seeks to blend traditional operatic elements with cutting-edge immersive technologies and performance practices such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and spatial audio to enhance audience engagement and redefine operatic performance.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our dynamic team at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, working closely with the Principal Investigator Dr Toby Young. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in advancing the objectives of the "Immersive Opera" project through innovative research, creative development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. They will produce collaborative and self-led research outputs, including (but not limited to) journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, practice-based outputs, technical outputs, and public-facing communication of the research (e.g. blogs or YouTube content).

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Research Assistance:

1. Conduct advanced research in the field of immersive opera, focusing on immersive performance and/or technologies and their application in opera.
2. Develop and implement immersive opera prototypes using VR, AR, spatial audio, and other relevant technologies and practices, in collaboration with composers, directors, technologists, and other researchers.
3. Assist in the design and execution of experimental studies to evaluate the impact of immersive technologies and performance practices on audience engagement and experience.
4. Participate in project meetings, workshops, and conferences.
5. Engage with external partners and stakeholders to facilitate knowledge transfer and collaboration.
6. Produce and disseminate research outputs appropriate for the research and the audience ensuring that these meet the requirements of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) with regard to volume, quality and impact.

Doctoral programme:

• Supervise in agreement with the Doctoral Programme Leader and Head of Research according to the strategic development of the programme.
• Act as internal examiner in upgrade and final vivas; to chair upgrade vivas.
• Act as a panellist at interviews with prospective students in relevant areas.

Research environment:

• Cultivate relationships between the School and academic and industry partners to enrich the research environment of the institution.

Own research:

• Identify sources of research funding, develop proposals, work with collaborators, and secure funding that contributes to meeting the targets of the Department and School.
• Undertake research in accordance with agreed proposals as well as internal and external deadlines.
• Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding.
• Assess, interpret and evaluate the outcome of research, and develop ideas for the application of research outcomes.
• Enhance the research profile of the Guildhall School by contributing to the external research community through presentations at conferences and other academic events.

This role is eligible for hybrid working.

For more details, please go to http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/jobs.

To apply, please visit our website via the button below.

Alternatively, please contact 020 7332 3978 (24hr answerphone) quoting OOGS9159 reference number. A minicom service for the hearing impaired is available on 020 7332 3732.

Closing date: 12 noon on Monday 9^th September 2024.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 16^th September 2024.

All applications must include a completed application form. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

Guildhall School welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We are particularly keen to encourage interest from people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, Black, Asian, and other global majority backgrounds who are currently under-represented at Guildhall School.