Research Associate

About the role

How does the invisible work of managing household and family life shape who participates in politics?

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to help develop a new programme of research on the domestic mental load, gender inequality and democratic participation. You will join the Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies at the University of Bath, working with Dr Ana Catalano Weeks on the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project, Invisible Burdens, Visible Gaps: The Mental Load and Gendered Citizenship.

The domestic mental load involves anticipating needs, planning and coordinating everyday family life. Women undertake a disproportionate share of this work, yet its consequences for political engagement remain poorly understood. Through research in Brazil, Iceland, Italy, Japan and the UK, the project investigates how household responsibilities, gender norms and policy environments shape the mental space available for political life.

Joining at the outset, you will have an opportunity to shape the project’s qualitative research and help develop new explanations of the relationship between private life and democratic inclusion. Working closely with the principal investigator and researchers in the five countries, you will:

• Help develop and refine semi-structured interview guides and creative visual methods, including participant-generated photographs (Photovoice).
• Support cross-national data collection and collaboration with locally based researchers.
• Lead thematic coding and analysis of interview and visual data, contributing to the project’s theoretical framework.
• Develop academic publications and conference presentations, and contribute to public engagement activities.

This is an opportunity to combine substantive research leadership with close collaboration and mentoring. You will be supported to develop both collaborative and independently authored publications arising from the project, build international research relationships, and strengthen your skills in research methods and public engagement.

About you

We welcome applicants from across the social sciences. You will bring:

• A PhD in political science, sociology, social policy, public policy, economics or a related discipline.
• Strong qualitative research skills, including experience of interviewing and systematic coding and analysis.
• An interest in gender inequalities, household labour, political engagement or related questions, and the ability to connect empirical findings to theoretical debates.
• The ability to take responsibility for research tasks while working collaboratively with colleagues across countries.
• Strong written and spoken English, organisational skills, and a thoughtful approach to research ethics and participant confidentiality.

Experience of comparative research, creative visual methods or qualitative analysis software such as NVivo would be an advantage. 

We welcome candidates whose expertise brings a fresh perspective to the project; prior research specifically on the mental load is not required.

Additional information

The position is full-time and fixed-term for 24 months, with scope for hybrid working. Working arrangements will be agreed with the principal investigator, balancing flexibility with in-person collaboration, participation in the department’s research community, and project activities.

As a member of Research Staff at the University of Bath, you will be encouraged to take up a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year.

A lower grade offer may be made (Grade 6) with comparable reduction in responsibilities and amendment in job title to Research Assistant, if a suitable applicant cannot be found to fill the Grade 7 position. Applicants will need to be within six months of their course completion date and will be promoted to Research Associate once their PhD has been awarded.