Research Assistant/Associate in Principles of Justice for Sustainability Transformations

Newcastle City Library; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in the United Kingdom seeks a Research Assistant/Associate to join their team focused on sustainability transformations. The role involves coordinating research on principles of justice in low-carbon transitions and collaborating with key stakeholders. Candidates should have experience in relevant research methods and be committed to promoting justice in sustainability. This is an excellent opportunity for motivated researchers interested in interdisciplinary collaboration and diversity in research initiatives.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Research skills aligned with sustainability and justice.
• Experience in working with stakeholders from various sectors.
• Effective interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Responsibilities

• Map justice practices in sustainability initiatives.
• Co-develop a sustainability impact assessment tool.
• Coordinate with Thematic Working and Innovation Group.

Skills

Research methods

Stakeholder collaboration

Analytical skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Education

PhD in social science (for Research Associate)

Degree/Masters in relevant social science (for Research Assistant)

Job description

Research Assistant/Associate in Principles of Justice for Sustainability Transformations

Requisition ID: 28841

Location: Newcastle, GB

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Working Pattern: Full Time

Research Assistant: £33,002 - £33,951 per annum

Research Associate: £35,608 - £37,694 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 11 January 2026

The Role

Understanding what works, where, and why (and for whom) is a key focus of a new multi-university consortium: the ESRC-funded Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) Centre. Bringing together five universities in the North of England with partners in the policy, innovation, business, local government, community, and voluntary sectors, JUST seeks to accelerate understanding of a just transition by coordinating research into action at all levels of society.

The successful applicant will principally be responsible for carrying out research on one key aspect of the Centre’s work:

Coordinating research on ‘principles of justice’ in sustainability transitions across the North of England.

A core theme for the JUST Centre is understanding how to join up theory and practice in promoting ‘principles of justice’ in the transition to low-carbon living. The applicant will work closely with the theme leads (Prof. Derek Bell and Prof. Sherilyn MacGregor) to coordinate work under this theme across the Centre. Key tasks will include using qualitative research methods to examine how justice is understood and practiced in just transition initiatives across the North of England, and co-developing and testing a practical ‘just sustainability impact assessment tool’ that helps practitioners to review policies and initiatives.

The successful applicant will take a leading role in the Centre’s Thematic Working and Innovation Group (TWIG) on Principles of Justice.

Beyond this core area, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to broader research across the Centre, including collaborative work across the five study regions (West Cumbria, North East England, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and West Yorkshire), engagement with one or more of the Centre's other key themes, and participation in Centre-wide activities such as workshops and impact-oriented events. This is a unique opportunity to inform the work programme of an exciting new interdisciplinary centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (www.JUST.ac.uk).

The successful applicant will be based at Newcastle University, joining the vibrant Politics group in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. They will be part of a broader community of researchers across the five universities comprising the JUST Centre—Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle—as well as the Young Foundation (impact partner).

JUST is founded on principles of justice, particularly intersectional approaches to addressing injustice and inequality. We aim for the composition of the JUST research team to reflect these principles. Accordingly, we actively seek to recruit in ways that maximize the diversity of the Centre’s membership and strongly encourage applications from individuals from backgrounds historically excluded from research institutions. We also welcome applicants who wish to take on this position part-time.

This post provides an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate to work with leading researchers in a multi-disciplinary research centre and to develop an independent research profile. If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Prof. Derek Bell ([e-mail] ).

This post is Fixed Term for 2 years with the possibility of extension subject to future funding

Key Accountabilities

• Working closely with the co-leads of the ‘Principles of Justice’ theme to map how justice is thought about and practiced in sustainability transition initiatives across the North of England.
• Co-creating original research that improves our understanding of how to ‘join up’ theory and practice in promoting ‘justice’ in the transition to low-carbon living.
• Co-developing and testing a new ‘Just Sustainability Impact Assessment’ tool in collaboration with Centre partners and other practitioners.
• Helping to coordinate the Thematic Working and Innovation Group (TWIG) on ‘Principles of Justice’ and supporting related work across the Centre.
• Joining up the work of the ‘Principles of Justice’ TWIG with other Centre themes by liaising with and contributing to the work and meetings of other Thematic Working and Innovation Groups focused on the core themes of: democratic innovations; policy, governance, and change; built and social infrastructure; social and solidarity economies; and methodological innovation.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the JUST Centre to facilitate joint learning and integrate research findings into the broader evidence base generated by the Centre.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with local stakeholders and communities, including local government, businesses, third-sector organizations, and community groups.
• Participating in national and international conferences and workshops (both academic and policy-related) to present project results and engage a wide set of stakeholders.
• Contributing to the creation of project outputs—academic publications, blogs, website content, social media, and policy briefs—and maintaining a consistently high output of internationally recognized publications and research briefs, co-authored with project partners where appropriate.
• Developing an independent research profile with support and guidance, aligned with the needs of the project.
• Contributing to new research proposals based on the expertise and insights developed through this project.
• Contributing to academic life in Politics and the broader School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University.

The Person (Essental)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Research interests and skills closely aligned with the Centre’s aim of promoting justice in the transition to low-carbon living, and with the specific duties of the role.
• Experience of working with a range of relevant research methods.
• Experience of collaborating with stakeholders, e.g., government representatives, businesses and communities.
• Experience of carrying out independent research in collaboration with colleagues and diverse research partners.
• Effective interpersonal skills including evidence of working collaboratively within a team and providing appropriate guidance for colleagues.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good organisational skills, including project management, organisation of data, data archiving, and producing research outputs to deadlines.
• Experience of writing up research for publication and ability to publish, either as a sole or joint author, in high-quality academic journals.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to carrying out research, engagement, and impact both as a member of a team and independently.
• Positive attitude to colleagues and research participants/partners.
• Interest in seeking external funding to support research.
• Commitment to personal development and updating of knowledge and skills.

Qualifications

• For appointment at Research Associate grade – a PhD in a social science discipline.
• For appointment at Research Assistant grade – a Degree and/or Masters in a relevant social science discipline.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a GoldAthena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.