Post-Doctoral Researcher Collective Social Futures and Dept Sociology & Criminology
Posted 17 hours 8 minutes ago by EURAXESS Ireland
Permanent
Full Time
Temporary Jobs
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Job Description
Organisation/Company University College Cork Department HR Research Research Field Sociology " Other Researcher Profile Established Researcher (R3) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 29 May 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Dublin) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 3 Jun 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description Applications are invited for a Post-Doctoral Researcher post to collaborate on a ground-breaking Research Ireland Advanced Laureate funded project. This project seeks to address a 'grand challenge' that exists in the sociological literature across critical border studies and the mobilities field. This relates to the dearth of ethnographic, biographical, visual and relational research on borders and 'borderities' (Szary and Giraut 2015) at the edges of the European Union. The project sets out to explore the very meaning, experience and practice of borders, and the implications for European policy and second level education.
The project is led by the Principal Investigator at University College Cork, Ireland, in collaboration with academic partners at the University of Lodz and the University Zagreb. The successful applicant will be based in Cork at University College Cork.
The Post-Doctoral Researcher will work with the PI (University College Cork) and collaborating academics in Universities of Lodz and Zagreb. We are seeking a team player who will take a leadership role critically in the knowledge translation/mobilisation of the research findings from the project into highly accessible policy briefings and the production of a curriculum for second level education, across the jurisdictions we are working in. These outputs will draw on the ethnographic, biographical and arts-based research outputs on borders and 'borderities' with a specific focus on the cross-border findings of the wider European project.
EuroBorderWalks is an inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional, European research project, funded by a Research Ireland Advanced Laureate grant. The overall aim of the research is to produce a biography of three historically, politically and strategically significant borders (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Poland and Ukraine) at the edge of the European Union by conducting 'bottom up' research using ethnographic, biographical, relational and arts-based methods at the three borders critically to examine the very meaning, experience and practice of borders. Through a combination of walking biographical interviews, narrative interviews and arts- based workshops, as well as commissions from three artists, we will contribute to critical border studies and the mobilities field as well as European policy and education.
Many of the associated challenges with Europe's borders, in critical border studies, relate to border security concerns, especially in relation to unregulated migration, increasing nationalism, the risks of 'soft' or 'porous' borders, as well as the impact of the UK exit from the European Union and the impact of geopolitical shifts and war. An important contribution of this research is to open up horizons for research, knowledge, understanding and teaching and learning, from an ethno-mimetic approach that involves documenting and writing the biography of three borders from 'below' as well as to impact upon policy, through a policy report, a variety of policy briefings, an exhibition and a curriculum contribution to second level sociology education.
The research brings together sociological research with the work of artists/photographers to document, critically analyse and understand the shifting and im/mobile borders, the securitisation and policing of borders, and to contribute pioneering research to critical border studies, mobilities and 'mobility justice' as well envision our collective European and global futures.
The successful Post-Doctoral Researcher will become an affiliated member of the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21) and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures, both at University College Cork.
The Post-Doctoral Researcher position will be awarded to an individual who has previously conducted their own independent research in an area of relevance to EUROBORDERWALKS. The successful applicant will have a PhD, have peer-reviewed publications, be bi-lingual in English and Polish/Ukrainian(desirable) or English and Croatian (desirable); strong leadership potential, and dedication to teamwork. Ideally, they will have a developing academic profile, experience in qualitative research, policy analysis, project management, education and curriculum development, and be highly skilled at translating research findings into highly accessible policy briefings. The Post-Doctoral Researcher will undertake a significant leadership role in the EUROBORDERS team and become part of a wider network of interdisciplinary researchers at University College Cork (ISS21 and Collective Social Futures).
The research team seek a Post-Doctoral Researcher who seeks to make an impact in one or more of the fields of border studies, mobility studies, European education, European studies and biographical sociology.
The successful candidate will also collaborate with the research team to bring the project to fruition and deliver wider project outputs for a variety of audiences.
Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI's. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework Irish Universities Association
Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
Project Title: EUROBORDERWALKS
Post Duration: 12 Months, whole-time Post
Offer Description Applications are invited for a Post-Doctoral Researcher post to collaborate on a ground-breaking Research Ireland Advanced Laureate funded project. This project seeks to address a 'grand challenge' that exists in the sociological literature across critical border studies and the mobilities field. This relates to the dearth of ethnographic, biographical, visual and relational research on borders and 'borderities' (Szary and Giraut 2015) at the edges of the European Union. The project sets out to explore the very meaning, experience and practice of borders, and the implications for European policy and second level education.
The project is led by the Principal Investigator at University College Cork, Ireland, in collaboration with academic partners at the University of Lodz and the University Zagreb. The successful applicant will be based in Cork at University College Cork.
The Post-Doctoral Researcher will work with the PI (University College Cork) and collaborating academics in Universities of Lodz and Zagreb. We are seeking a team player who will take a leadership role critically in the knowledge translation/mobilisation of the research findings from the project into highly accessible policy briefings and the production of a curriculum for second level education, across the jurisdictions we are working in. These outputs will draw on the ethnographic, biographical and arts-based research outputs on borders and 'borderities' with a specific focus on the cross-border findings of the wider European project.
EuroBorderWalks is an inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional, European research project, funded by a Research Ireland Advanced Laureate grant. The overall aim of the research is to produce a biography of three historically, politically and strategically significant borders (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Poland and Ukraine) at the edge of the European Union by conducting 'bottom up' research using ethnographic, biographical, relational and arts-based methods at the three borders critically to examine the very meaning, experience and practice of borders. Through a combination of walking biographical interviews, narrative interviews and arts- based workshops, as well as commissions from three artists, we will contribute to critical border studies and the mobilities field as well as European policy and education.
Many of the associated challenges with Europe's borders, in critical border studies, relate to border security concerns, especially in relation to unregulated migration, increasing nationalism, the risks of 'soft' or 'porous' borders, as well as the impact of the UK exit from the European Union and the impact of geopolitical shifts and war. An important contribution of this research is to open up horizons for research, knowledge, understanding and teaching and learning, from an ethno-mimetic approach that involves documenting and writing the biography of three borders from 'below' as well as to impact upon policy, through a policy report, a variety of policy briefings, an exhibition and a curriculum contribution to second level sociology education.
The research brings together sociological research with the work of artists/photographers to document, critically analyse and understand the shifting and im/mobile borders, the securitisation and policing of borders, and to contribute pioneering research to critical border studies, mobilities and 'mobility justice' as well envision our collective European and global futures.
The successful Post-Doctoral Researcher will become an affiliated member of the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21) and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures, both at University College Cork.
The Post-Doctoral Researcher position will be awarded to an individual who has previously conducted their own independent research in an area of relevance to EUROBORDERWALKS. The successful applicant will have a PhD, have peer-reviewed publications, be bi-lingual in English and Polish/Ukrainian(desirable) or English and Croatian (desirable); strong leadership potential, and dedication to teamwork. Ideally, they will have a developing academic profile, experience in qualitative research, policy analysis, project management, education and curriculum development, and be highly skilled at translating research findings into highly accessible policy briefings. The Post-Doctoral Researcher will undertake a significant leadership role in the EUROBORDERS team and become part of a wider network of interdisciplinary researchers at University College Cork (ISS21 and Collective Social Futures).
The research team seek a Post-Doctoral Researcher who seeks to make an impact in one or more of the fields of border studies, mobility studies, European education, European studies and biographical sociology.
The successful candidate will also collaborate with the research team to bring the project to fruition and deliver wider project outputs for a variety of audiences.
Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI's. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework Irish Universities Association
Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
Project Title: EUROBORDERWALKS
Post Duration: 12 Months, whole-time Post
- To conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of a Principal Investigator/Project Leader.
- To engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator, School or College in order to develop research skills and competencies.
- To gain experience in grant writing.
- Collaborate with the team to achieve the project's overall goals in work packages 3 and 4, by conducting comparative analysis of the research findings and translating these into accessible policy briefings, policy documents and relevant communications.
- Conduct and lead the programme of research supporting the development, design and implementation of a second/third level curriculum from the project findings.
- Participate fully in taking operational responsibility for the translation/presentation of the research findings into/as policy briefs, scientific reports/articles, conference presentations, and other project outputs.
- Engage in the dissemination of the results of the research under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
- To become familiar with the publication process.
- To acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management, business skills and postgraduate mentoring/supervision).
- To engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group, School or College.
- Interact closely with the wider research team including the postgraduate research student who is conducting PhD research on the Irish Border and facilitate research findings into policy outputs.
- To interact closely with postgraduate research students who are studying for a Masters or a PhD and possibly have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day-to-day research in conjunction with an academic supervisor.
- Conduct administrative and management work associated with the research project.
- Carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
- To contribute to costing research grant proposals and assist in the financial management of a research project.
- Proactively, and with the support of the Principal Investigator, take primary responsibility for ongoing personal, professional and career development opportunities.
- Engage in the wider research activities of the Research Group, School or College.
- A PhD qualification and competence and experience in a research area relevant to EUROBORDERWALKS (Essential)
- Appropriate research experience.
- Appropriate technical competence and accomplishment.
- A capability of working within a project team to achieve results.
- Good communication, organisation and interpersonal skills.
- A commitment to gaining practical experience working on a research project.
- Ability to work well within a team.
- Have a sociology/education/ social science/social policy background with a focus on qualitative research, and an understanding of biographical research and analysis including stakeholder engagement processes (Essential)
- Have experience in translating research findings into accessible policy briefings (Essential)
- Have experience in interdisciplinary research with the ability to engage across disciplines and practices ( sociology, education, biographical research and arts practice (Essential)
- Have demonstrated leadership, team working . click apply for full job details