Postdoctoral Research Associate

Overview

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate for a 36‑month position at the School of the Arts, Queen Mary University of London. This post is part of the Wellcome Trust funded project, \’Autism in affinity spaces: Interest‑driven social media practices during the transition to adulthood\’, led by Professor Nelya Koteyko.

Responsibilities

• Analyse two datasets: images and text‑based captions provided by autistic young people to document their social media activities and interest‑driven communication.
• Analyse semi‑structured interviews with young people about these practices.
• Apply qualitative and quantitative methods from visual studies, digital ethnography, and/or applied linguistics.
• Manage ongoing ethics and secure storage of the datasets.
• Co‑author high‑impact academic publications.
• Lead on translating findings into accessible, practical resources for autistic young people, charities, and education professionals.

Qualifications

• PhD (or near completion) in a relevant field.
• Demonstrable research expertise in analysing visual or multimodal data.
• Strong theoretical understanding of ethnography and critical disability studies or critical autism studies.
• Experience in designing and delivering public engagement or impact initiatives.
• Secure and systematic data management practices.
• Record of creating accessible resources desirable.

Application Requirements

Applications should include a motivation letter (no more than two pages) and a CV with a full publication list.

About the School

The School of the Arts is a newly created School within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, some jointly run with other Schools. The post‑holder will be based in the School of the Arts.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries.
• Generous pension scheme.
• 30 days’ leave per annum (pro‑rated for part‑time/fixed‑term).
• Season ticket loan scheme.
• Comprehensive personal and professional development opportunities.
• Work‑life balance and family‑friendly inclusive employment policies.
• Flexible working arrangements and campus facilities.