Research Assistant

Do you have a track record of supporting high-quality research projects?

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, creative, and flexible individual to join an established, high-profile, national project that is collecting new dialect and heritage research using innovative methodologies, engaging new audiences with collections at the University of Leeds and at our five partner museums, and reaching out to local communities via public engagement activities and the project website. Our partner museums are Dales Countryside Museum, Ryedale Folk Museum, Weald & Downland Living Museum, Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, and the Food Museum. We are also working with a broad range of external organisations such as schools, libraries, local community groups and record offices. The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the University of Leeds Footsteps Fund and other alumni donations, along with partner museum contributions.

The project centres around the Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture (LAVC). The LAVC is a unique and nationally important multi-media archive including the records of the Survey of English Dialects and the Institute of Dialect and Folk Life Studies. The collection is housed and accessible at the University of Leeds Special Collections.

As Research Assistant, you will provide academic input to the project, analysing research data, providing subject-specialist input into the interpretation, website content, and design and development of learning resources. Alongside the Project Lead, this postholder will undertake cutting-edge dialect research as part of the project. You will also support the project team in evaluating the quality of volunteer research contributions.

You will be managed by the Project Lead, Dr Fiona Douglas, and based at the University of Leeds School of English.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Dr Fiona Douglas, Project Lead

Email: f.m.douglas@leeds.ac.uk