Research Officer, Essex Business School in Colchester

The project, Transforming Responsive and Relational Autonomy in the Garment Sector of the UK and Bangladesh (THRREADS), is being led by Dr Shoba Arun and is based in the Centre for Work, Organisation and Society (CWOS), part of Essex Business School (EBS). Essex Business School is home to a vibrant and thriving international community, with campuses in Colchester and Southend. We offer five broad subject groups: Accounting, Business and Management, Marketing, Finance and Banking, and Entrepreneurship. Through our teaching and research, we push the boundaries of knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and encouraging the use of business as a force for good. Our mission is to provide transformative education and research excellence that positively impacts both business and society.

The Centre for Work, Organisation and Society (CWOS) aims to support cross-disciplinary research on work, society and organisational life. This three-year THRREADS project will aim to achieve economic and social sustainability in the ready-made garment and fashion sector and improve autonomy in the workplace. The team of inter-disciplinary researchers from the University of Essex, University of Derby, Manchester Metropolitan University and Universal College Bangladesh plan to encourage positive long-term changes within the industry and to find ways to support garment sector employees, suppliers and workers in order to foster conditions for autonomy and economic justice in their workplace.

Duties of the Role

The post holder will be based in the Centre for Work and Organisation Studies (CWOS Research Centre in the Essex Business School, and working across teams. They will work on the Transforming Responsive and Relational Autonomy in the Garment Sector of the UK and Bangladesh (THRREADS) Project, and are expected to work across all aspects of the project, assisting the PI, Dr Shoba Arun. The work involves leading a comparative and international study in achieving sustainability in the garment sectors of Dhaka and Leicester and requires substantial knowledge and experience of independently leading mixed methods research. This involves undertaking large scale quantitative survey and analysis, engaging in co-production methods and qualitative methods, analysis and synthesising findings to a very high standard.

Qualifications and Skills required

Applicants will hold a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, a relevant postgraduate level degree, and a relevant doctoral level qualification (or be working towards this). You will have evidence of an emerging research agenda, engagement in high-quality research activity and a developing research profile. In addition, you will have experience in the fields of interdisciplinary sustainable work and organisation practices, and of quantitative social science. A full list of requirements can also be found within the job pack, under the Person Specification section. Your application will need to address the essential criteria at the very least.

At the University of Essex, internationalism and diversity is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries, faiths and backgrounds, where you can find the world in one place.