Research Assistant

Overview

The Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading seeks to appoint a part-time Research Assistant to support the European Research Council project Political Parties in Africa and Democracy. This international research collaboration involves the University of Strathclyde, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the University of Bristol, and the University of Reading. The project explores the drivers of democratic decline and progress in Africa through an empirical study of political parties. The position is offered as a fixed-term contract for 12 months with a starting date as early as possible.

What you get

The position offers a salary of £36,636 pro rata per annum. The appointment is part-time at 0.2FTE. The successful candidate joins an international team of scholars and will have opportunities to present co-authored or sole-authored publications at workshops and conferences with the aim of publishing in leading peer-reviewed journals. Existing staff members may consider this role on a seconded basis as part of the University's commitment to professional development.

Requirements

Candidates must ensure they have the right to work in the UK or be able to secure it through another means, as this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship by the University. The main activities include collecting, coding, entering, checking, and cleaning country- and organizational-level data on African political parties, identifying and coding features of elite-level party representatives, and assisting in the preparation of research instruments for party headquarters and branch studies as well as constituency elite surveys. Responsibilities also involve analyzing citizen and expert survey data, assisting with the organization of project events such as planning meetings and research seminars, and supporting the project website along with manuscript preparation and publication activities.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 30th October 2026. Interviews will take place on 13th November 2026 and will include a presentation during the interview slot.