Student Casual - Research Associate - School of History - College of Arts and Law - Grade 6 - 906512

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; Part time

Job description

Job Description

Position Details:

School or Department: History
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Grade/Band: Grade 6
Hourly rate: £16.69 per hour plus holiday entitlement
Casual contract from: 28th April - 30th June 2025
Advert closing date: 16/04/2025, 23:59pm
Number of positions available: 3

Please note that this vacancy may be taken down early depending on the number of applications received. We advise you to submit your application promptly.

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Background

Dr Damien Lee (Toronto Metropolitan University) is a Leverhulme Visiting Professor attached to the Treatied Spaces Research Group for the 2024/2025 academic year. He is completing a book Wiitkamaganak: Adoption and the Resurgence of Anishinaabe Citizenship Law, that examines how adoption brings Indigenous and Canadian legal systems into dialogue and tension. As part of this project, and in collaboration with the Digital Humanities Institute at the University of Sheffield, Dr Lee is producing a data visualisation that presents the principal laws, legal disputes and media coverage of this issue in an accessible form. We are seeking a Research Assistant to work with Dr Lee and Professor Charles Prior on the production of this digital project.

Role Summary

The student will be expected to work within the specified research grants and/or projects, operate within the area of specialism and contribute to publications.

Main Duties

• Carry out desk-based research, including:
• Collect and summarize Canadian litigation about First Nation band membership. For example: review cases posted to the Canadian Legal Information Institute (https://www.canlii.org/), review law reporters for the same purpose, etc.
• Collect and chronologize Canadian statutes (federal, provincial, territorial) dealing with First Nations membership and its statutory history, particularly regarding adoption for the period 1850 to present.
• Collect and catalogue news media pertaining to First Nations band membership issues in Canada, with an emphasis on adoption or other family-making issues in this context.
• Work independently and as a member of an international academic research team.
• This position will rely heavily on qualitative research, but quantitative skills will be considered an asset.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews.
• Analyse research data as directed.
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters.
• Develop or adapt techniques, models and methods.
• Provide guidance as required to support staff and any students who may be assisting with research.
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
• Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research.
• Promote equality and value diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• Degree or equivalent in relevant subject area.
• Practical experience of applying the relevant skills and techniques.
• Ability to analyse information and communicate effectively.
• Ability to access and organise resources successfully.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in their own area, that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

For any informal queries, please contact Alexander White ([e-mail])

View our staff values and behaviours here.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

The University of Birmingham restricts all students to working up to 20 hours per week during term time. If your application is successful and your course does not follow the usual academic term timetable (e.g. PGT, PGR or PhD student), you and your supervisor must formally agree vacation periods if this role exceeds 20 hours per week. In addition to this, please be aware if you are an International student you will be required to apply to the Registry for the appropriate Authorised Absence.

You are only eligible to apply to this role if you are a current University of Birmingham student. If you are not a University of Birmingham student your application will not be considered.

To work you will need to carry out a right to work check. These checks will need to be completed prior to work commencing.