Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Newcastle upon Tyne

About this position

Northumbria University and the British Library are seeking a Post Doctoral Research Fellow for a UKRI-funded project on women’s book history. Based in Newcastle with regular travel to the British Library, this part‑time role (15 hours/week) spans two years.

The position supports the Principal Investigator in examining women's roles in contemporary British and Irish publishing, focusing on micro‑presses, self‑publication, and archival representation within the Legal Deposit collection. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team, developing networks around female‑led publishing and contributing to equitable collecting practices.

Applicants must hold a PhD in a related discipline such as Literature, History, or Information Science.

The role offers mentorship from senior academics and curators, plus an annual research allowance of up to £1,000 per financial year. This opportunity aims to enhance visibility of women’s contributions to the creative economy through critical archival studies and feminist historiography.

About the role

Working as part of a multi‑disciplinary team, you will support the Principal Investigator in delivery of research activity on the Future Leaders Fellowship project, Towards a Global Women’s Book History 1600-1900. The successful candidate will be invited to join the team working on feminist book histories, past and present.

The purpose of the position is to examine the role of women in the contemporary British and Irish publishing landscape, particularly exploring intersections with regional, micro/ small presses and self‑publication. It will interrogate the British Library’s Legal Deposit collection, and its archival collections of contemporary women‑led presses, ensuring greater understanding and representation of the motivation and activities of women in this space.

The project calls for an interdisciplinary approach encompassing critical archival studies, research and engagement with the publishing industry, and feminist historiography to interrogate the research questions outlined below. The successful candidate will be embedded within the Contemporary British and Irish Publications Team at the British Library, working to understand and engage with women’s publishing activities, and the contemporary collection. Case studies will contextualise and deepen analysis of female‑led presses within the publishing landscape. Ultimately, the candidate will be encouraged and empowered to devise their own focus area on women’s roles within publishing and book production, with particular reference to Legal Deposit collecting and improving representation in Library collections.

General Duties and Responsibilities

The role is a appointment. The role will be undertaken on a part‑time basis, for 15 hours per week, over 2 years.

In addition, the successful candidate will be eligible for an additional research allowance courtesy of the British Library, up to £1,000 per financial year or part‑time equivalent, for the duration of the project.

Further information about the wider research project can be available upon request.

Research Questions

• What are the motivations and activities of women in the publishing landscape of the UK and Ireland?
• How is female‑led publishing being represented in the national collection?
• What is the role of gender in determining whether presses are archived in the national library?
• How can the British Library ensure greater representation of women’s work in book production through its contemporary collecting practices?

About the team

The role is supervised by the Principal Investigator, Dr Helen Williams, Associate Professor of English Literature and a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow. She is a book historian specialising in the recovery of hidden labour in the book trades. The role will be supported and mentored by Dr Diletta De Cristofaro, Assistant Professor of English Literature, and specialist in contemporary writings. At the British Library Boston Spa, the candidate will be line managed by Chloe Hemsley, Legal Deposit Publisher Liaison and supported by Stella Wisdom, Digital Curator for Contemporary British Collections.

Humanities at Northumbria brings together 80 academic staff and 800 students in English Literature, Creative Writing, English Language, History and Music. As Postdoctoral Research Assistants in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the appointees will join a thriving research environment and one of the most exciting, growing, Book History communities in the UK. Beyond Dr Williams’s research team, the School currently hosts two other teams dedicated to Future Leaders Fellowships in Global History and many more early‑career researchers funded through charities, research councils or Northumbria’s own ‘Vice‑Chancellor’s Research Fellows’ scheme. Research mentoring and peer support are available for all, and the interdisciplinary research culture of the School is nurtured through our vibrant Institute for the Humanities, in which the team working with Dr Williams will play a full part.

About you

Applicants should hold a PhD in a related discipline (e.g. Literature, History, Art History, Publishing, Information Science).

The successful candidate will be based at Northumbria University’s Newcastle campus whilst regularly visiting the British Library at Boston Spa (and potentially St Pancras).

Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the museums, galleries, archives and library sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.

Northumbria University and the British Library are keen to encourage applications from a diverse range of people, from different backgrounds and career stages, and particularly welcome those currently underrepresented in postdoctoral research.

Further information about the requirements of the role is available in the person specification and in the project overview document.

About us

Join Northumbria University, a research-intensive institution unlocking potential and changing lives locally and globally. Named Times Higher Education’s University of the Year in 2022 and Modern University of the Year in 2025, we rank top 25 in the UK for research power. Discover more about us.

With over 37,000 students from 140+ countries, we offer world‑leading research, award‑winning partnerships, and an outstanding student experience. We empower our exceptional staff, promoting a positive work‑life balance and offering great benefits, including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, generous holiday entitlement and more.

Our Northumbria Values, co‑created by our team, define who we are: Academic Excellence, Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Ambition. Our Behaviours shape our work culture: We listen and learn, support one another, respect everyone, trust each other, and are bold.

Based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, we are an on‑campus organisation and offer flexible hours and location where the role allows. We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, holding numerous awards for gender and race equality, disability confidence, and research excellence. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.