Research Fellow – Project Lifecourse
NUI Galway
Ref. No. NUIG 100-13
Project Lifecourse is an exciting collaboration between three internationally recognised research
centres at NUI Galway: the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC), the Irish Centre for
Social Gerontology (ICSG), and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (CDLP). By combining
strengths in the fields of children and youth, older people, and persons with disabilities, Project
Lifecourse seeks to make a substantial and enduring contribution to the growing international field of
lifecourse studies.
Project Lifecourse is now seeking to recruit a Research Fellow to a fixed-term 2-year contract.
Working in collaboration with a Senior Research Fellow, other academic colleagues, and the Director
of Project Lifecourse, the Research Fellow will be expected to play a substantial role in
implementation of the work programme of Project Lifecourse under the following strands:
3-City Demonstration Project: In three cities (Dublin, Galway and Limerick) Project
Lifecourse will seek to develop service collaborations and facilitate service transformation in
ways that can better support ‘independent living’ across the lifecourse. Collaboration with
local authorities and other local and national stakeholders, this will occur through the
development of toolkits, training initiatives and purposeful network creation.
Promoting Citizens’ Voices: Project Lifecourse will seek to generate and utilise knowledge
on how best to promote the voice of citizens in relation to service design and innovation.
Particular attention will be paid to activating voice amongst children and youth, older people
and persons living with disability.
In this role you will:
 Identify research objectives and carry out substantive, original and significant research, which
meets the objectives of Project Lifecourse.
 Play a significant role in regional, national and international collaborative research projects.
 Contribute to and, where appropriate, lead on major research grant applications to support and
extend the work of Project Lifecourse.
 Organise and conduct meetings with research staff to clarify objectives, develop team work
plans/timetables for research and support staff.
 Develop and implement quality assurance measures alongside a Senior Research Fellow and
the Project Lifecourse Director.
 Play a significant role in mentoring less-experienced colleagues and co-ordinating the work of
research staff.
 Write up research for publication in different forms, including peer-reviewed, international
journals.
 Contribute to the development of research strategies relating to Project Lifecourse and, as
appropriate, the wider University.
 Play an active role in external networks or in professional organisations, to identify sources of
funding, generate income, or build collaborative relationships for future activities.
 Where appropriate, assist in training of research students.
 Work to raise the national and international profile of Project Lifecourse through publications,
presentations and participation in relevant conferences and seminars
 Contribute, as appropriate, to developing research and teaching capacity in the area of
Lifecourse Studies at NUI Galway
 Be expected to carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the
general scope and level of the post.
Qualifications and Experience:
Candidates will have:
• Minimum of a PhD in a relevant social science discipline, with a preference for those who can
demonstrate considerable experience and knowledge of working in research areas that relate
to the human lifecourse.
• Sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge relating to lifecourse issues to act as a
research leader.
• An ability to work effectively and in a mutually supportive manner within an interdisciplinary
team of researchers.
• A record of existing publication in peer-reviewed journals and a desire to publish and
communicate research widely.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills.
• High levels of initiative, commitment to deadlines and team interaction.
• Experience of initiating, designing and implementing research projects.
• Knowledge and appropriate experience of using quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method
approaches to social research. Experience of service evaluation methods would be an
advantage.
• Excellent and demonstrable knowledge of relevant computer software (including, for example,
MS Office, quantitative data analysis software [e.g. SPSS, STATA] and/or qualitative data
analysis software [e.g. Nvivo]).
• A proven record of the ability to secure external research funding as Principal Investigator is
desirable.
• Awareness of legal and ethical requirements regarding data protection and confidentiality.
Salary: €51,716 - €56,442 per annum (public sector pay policy rules pertaining to new entrants will
apply)
Start date: January 2014 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Further information on research and working at NUI Galway is available on Research at NUI Galway
For informal discussion about this post please contact Professor Thomas Scharf
at thomas.scharf@nuigalway.ie; additional information is available on http://www.icsg.ie
To Apply:
Candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV (Word or PDF format only) and the names and
addresses of three referees via e-mail to icsg@nuigalway.ie
Applicants must include the Ref. No. NUIG 100-13 in the subject line of the email application.
Closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on 29th November 2013
Interviews will be held the week of the 9th of December 2013
National University of Ireland Galway is an equal opportunities employer
Project Lifecourse, NUI Galway
Introduction
Established in 2010, Project Lifecourse at NUI Galway aims to secure a reputation as a site for
excellence in applied social research and education. Project Lifecourse draws on the internationally
recognised expertise and track record of three existing research Centres at NUI Galway: the
UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC), the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG),
and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (CDLP). By combining strengths in the areas of children,
youth, older people and persons with disabilities, Project Lifecourse seeks to make a major
contribution to the growing international field of lifecourse studies by improving scientific and practical
awareness of human capacities and capabilities across the lifecourse. Housed in new purpose-built
premises on NUI Galway’s attractive campus, Project Lifecourse has the ambition to act as a catalyst
for social policy innovation, translational research and practice learning of national and international
significance.
In brief, Project Lifecourse sets out to:




Re-think major questions confronting both society and individual citizens;
Stimulate innovative and integrated approaches to addressing major social challenges;
Deliver effective research, policy design and learning that can shape and change social
policies and services; and
Promote collaboration across disciplines and institutions, both nationally and internationally.
3-City Demonstration Project
Developing Service Collaboration and Transformation in Dublin, Galway and Limerick:
Innovations in Independent Living Initiative
This element of the Project Lifecourse programme involves developing and implementing an
‘Innovations in Independent Living’ initiative in the three contrasting local authorities of Dublin, Galway
and Limerick. This strand will benefit from close collaboration with senior personnel in each local
authority and with other relevant local and national stakeholders. Based on successful piloting and
evaluation of service innovations, learnings arising from the initiative will be shared with other local
authorities across Ireland. Closely aligned with the programme of work on ‘Promoting Citizens’
Voices’, summarised below, this element of Project Lifecourse encompasses four phases of activity in
each city:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Mapping of independent living services and supports for children and youth, older people, and
persons with disabilities
Critical review of the mapped independent living services and supports
Development and evaluation of better integrated, ‘bench-to-bedside’ innovations in
independent living
Dissemination of learnings arising from the evaluation of innovations in independent living
‘Promoting citizens’ voices’
Working in conjunction with the 3-city demonstration project, summarised above, this element of
Project Lifecourse seeks to develop the capacity of children and youth, older people and persons with
disabilities to influence service design and innovation in relation to independent living. It encompasses
three core activities:
I.
II.
III.
Developing the capacity of citizens to engage in research and acquire expertise in service
delivery and transformation
Developing and implementing protocols that contribute to citizens’ voices being better heard
in local service delivery
Promoting intergenerational programmes at different levels of the educational system with a
view to activate the voices of children and youth, older people and persons with disabilities.