This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with the application.
1. Role details
Vacancy reference:
Job title:
Reports to:
Salary:
6471
Research Fellows in Social Aspects of the Life Sciences
Dr Peter Robbins
£29,704-£37,651 (depending on qualifications and experience)
Terms and conditions : Research Staff
Grade: AC2
Duration of post:
Working hours:
24
Full Time
Location: Walton Hall, Milton Keynes
Closing date: 29 July 2010 @ 12 noon
Type of application form accepted: Full
Number of referees required: 3
Unit recruitment contact: The Recruitment Co-ordinator
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2. Summary of duties
The post holder will be expected to:-
 Further develop Innogen’s research plans in the area of genomics, life sciences and development;
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Carry out qualitative and / or quantitative research related to this area;
Develop publications related to research findings
 Organise and participate in workshops and dissemination activities;
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Work with teams of researchers drafting conducting research and drafting bids.
Research Fellows will be expected to contribute to areas of research described below.
However, the description of areas of work is open to interpretation and fellows will be expected to bring their own expertise and interests and shape the research accordingly. Researchers should have finished their doctoral studies and possess knowledge and experience of a range of methodologies. We are happy to explore with candidates the possibility of using both quantitative and qualitative skills to explore issues outlined above.
The appointment will either be made on the basis of a single full time 2 year appointment, two
50% 2 year appointments or two single 12 month appointments. It is hoped that researchers might work with Innogen staff to bring in additional funding thereby extending the possibilities for research and employment. Innogen has an extremely good track record in securing additional funds and we support research fellows in this endeavour.
3. Person specification
In considering the application the Panel will be looking for evidence of the following characteristics.
Essential Characteristics (not in order of priority)
Candidates should be able to provide evidence of the following:
1. A completed PhD in a relevant subject area;
2. Excellent knowledge of relevant social science methodologies;
3. Experience of working in developing country contexts;
4. Good writing and presentation skills;
5. Experience of publishing research work;
6. Ability to work in interdisciplinary teams.
Desirable characteristics
1. Knowledge of a language spoken in Latin America, Asia or Africa;
2. Good networking skills;
3. Experience of producing policy relevant work.
4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working n/a
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5. About the unit/department
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INNOGEN CENTRE
INNOGEN is the ESRC centre for social and economic research on innovation in genomics. Formed in October 2002, it is part of the ESRC genomics network studying the evolution of genomics and life sciences and their far-reaching social and economic implications.
The life sciences have the potential to transform health care and good production systems in developed and developing countries and to provide one of the main platforms of economics growth and global competitiveness in the 21 st century. Rapid developments in life sciences also challenge our existing regulatory systems and raise new ethical and social issues. Innogen’s research provides a sound base for decisionmaking in science, industry, policy and public arenas and will improve our understanding of each of these groups and their interactions. Innogen’s mission is to focus on the evolution of the new life sciences and on the governance of innovation in the life sciences.
Innogen is collaboration between the university of Edinburgh and the Open University, and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Innogen at
Edinburgh is based in the Institute for the Study of Science Technology and Innovation
(ISSTI). Innogen at the OU is based in the Development Policy and Practice Group
(DPP) in the Faculty of Maths Computing and Technology (MCT), and is a member of two inter-faculty research centres, the key one being the Innovation Knowledge and
Development Centre (IKD).
The researchers working at Innogen include social scientists, economists, and lawyers.
Innogen also engages with a wide range of stakeholders, nationally and internationally, including scientists, industry and private interest groups, policy makers and regulators, and citizens and public interest groups.
Innogen’s research in life sciences and development
In the first five years of its operations, two of Innogen’s core projects focused on North-
South Technology and Knowledge Flows in life sciences and genomics. These projects involved work primarily in the areas of health and agriculture related genomics and life sciences. Additional funding was secured for a number of other projects to do with regulation, governance and innovation of life sciences in developing countries. Details of these projects and outcomes of the research can be found on Innogen’s website
( www.genomicsnetwork.ac.uk/innogen/ )
Research over the past five years has been carried out with a loose network of international researchers based in other countries, including India, Brazil, South Africa,
China, Cuba and Kenya. Researchers working on developing country aspects of
Innogen’s remit have placed great value in our ability to work in teams and with others both within Innogen and in this broader international network.
Innogen has hosted several international workshops relating to this work and in 2006 the Innogen annual conference was entitled Genomics and Development? The Life
Sciences and Poverty Reduction. Researchers, practitioners and policy makers from over 25 different countries attended the conference. Papers, presentations and podcasts of key note addresses are available on the website. The website also has details of Innogen researchers’ publications and is home to a lively working paper series.
Innogen is now in the final two years of the 2 nd five year phase of activities, and we are looking to deepen existing research, disseminate research findings, and target and apply for new funding initiatives in the following areas.
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Genomics, access and inclusion in the globalization process
Innogen is also now established as a leading international centre for research on North-
South biotechnology and genomics knowledge flows. The work on Innogen during the first five years of operations has focused on the impact of public-private partnerships
(PPPs) on these flows and on the evolution of innovation systems more broadly.
In the second phase of Innogen we plan to build on work carried out in Phase 1 but also to explore new territory. Phase 2 directions include:-
Global pathways of dissemination and exploitation
Research during Innogen’s first period began to map a rapid strengthening of knowledge creation in genomics and biotechnology in some parts of the global South.
As a result of this increased capacity new innovation networks are emerging and we are keen to explore the nature and scope of those networks.
Although there is plenty of opportunity to further define this work and to pursue different research directions, some of the questions we might ask include:-
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How can different types of global technology based networks be characterized?
What are the patterns of inclusion and exclusion within these networks? Are there correlations between certain types of technology and the inclusion of particular countries of regions in innovations networks?
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What impact does inclusion in global networks have on the capacity, rate and direction of innovation? What decision making patterns exist?
What sort of local and ‘micro’ innovation systems build up around global initiatives in different contexts?
 What is the relationship between inclusion in global innovation and technology networks and improved delivery of better services and products to citizens of developing countries?
Human Capacities and Innovation Capabilities
Our work on global public private partnerships in Phase 1 highlighted the different ways in which capabilities and capacity can be created as a result of global and local interactions. Additionally, capabilities have been conceptualised from a number of different perspectives. To date there has been very little in depth consideration of how these different conceptualisations do or do not inform each other. Specifically, there has been little work to explore the interactions between work arising from development studies and elsewhere on political engagement and mobilisation and parallel discussions within innovation studies on the nature, rate and location of innovation.
There is a set of issues for example to be explored around the relationships between different forms of political activity and engagement at local, national and international levels, the type of technical capabilities and innovation that evolves.
Empirically grounded observation of how initiatives such as PPPs and international research initiatives work will enable us to address the following:-
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How do these initiatives address both the need to develop advocacy work and political work on the one hand and, on the other hand, technological capacity?
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How do different types and models of political activity impact on the rate and direction of innovation?
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How can we build on these perceptions to develop new theoretical approaches to capacity building which bridge the divide between more ‘technical’ approaches and those which focus on types of political activity and engagement?
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More specifically, we are looking for Research Fellows to examine these two thematic areas in relation to case studies, which include:
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Social Technologies in global health. Innogen has built up an impressive body of research on institutions and organisations that attempt to reorient investment in science and technology to meet the needs of the poor in developing countries, around vaccine development for example. We wish to explore this further looking at cases in Asia and Africa.
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Health biotechnology in Cuba.
The country provides a fascinating insight into an alternative model of health systems innovation operating in a global context.
This work builds on research we have conducted into biotechnology development in transitional contexts. We have plans for a high level workshop of Cuban and international participants, producing an edited book and/or journal special issue that maps this area.
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Synthetic biology in developing countries.
Here we look to explore the promises and dilemmas of synthetic biology for developing countries, for example in health, agriculture or water testing (e.g. the arsenic biosensor).
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Innovation and social justice. There are a number of strands of work explored by Innogen economists and political scientists under this broad banner, which examines the question of whether innovation can be socially just and equitable in the context of health systems.
INFORMATION ABOUT DPP
Development Policy and Practice (DPP) is the main centre in The Open University for teaching and research in international development. DPP shares concerns and aspirations for sustainable futures. Based in the Faculty of Maths, Computing and
Technology (MCT) it is committed to building bridges between practitioners of development and those who study development processes, by bringing academic debate closer to people working on development all over the world.
DPP’s aims are to:-
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Extend the boundaries of academic scholarship and understanding of development;
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Provide a global and interdisciplinary perspective on development which links theory and practice;
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Enable a wide audience to study development and development practice by supported open learning;
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Build on our considerable research strengths, undertaking and promoting high quality research on a range of issues relating to international development.
Development Policy and Practice was set up in 1984 as an inter-disciplinary group committed to teaching, research and policy-oriented activity in several areas of
Development Studies. DPP has recently grown rapidly as an area of teaching and research in The Open University, working in collaboration with a wide range of nationally and internationally based individuals and organizations.
DPP comprises a full-time core group, and has members and associates from other departments with the University, as well as from universities, research organizations and NGOs around the world. Faculty members combine diverse interests, expertise and experience, which inform research and the production of inter-disciplinary courses for undergraduates and postgraduates in Development Studies and Development
Management. Staff also supervise full-time and part-time research students in areas that enhance the work of the group as a whole.
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DPP is the OU home of Innogen, and hosts the university’s International Development
Centre, a major inter-faculty initiative to integrate interdisciplinary research in international development. DPP is also a key member of the inter-faculty Innovation,
Knowledge and Development Research Centre.
Core Activities of DPP
DPP provides a central location for the development of teaching materials and the coordination of research on international development. The activities of DPP are clustered in four main areas:-
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The production and delivery of undergraduate supported open learning courses in international development and contribution to courses in relation areas.
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A programme of postgraduate supported open learning in development management, including course production and global delivery both on-line and through partnerships.
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The development of innovation, inter-disciplinary research, involving approaches which combine both methodological development and policyoriented investigation in international development.
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Partnership, dissemination and networking , including the provision of consultancy services to international and national development agencies, the dissemination of research through seminars, inter-institutional workshops, conferences and teaching activities, and international partnerships aimed at capacity-building in supported open learning and the management of development
6. How to obtain more information about the role or application process
If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application please contact Dr Peter T. Robbins by emailing
P.T.Robbins@open.ac.uk
.
If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact The Recruitment
Co-ordinator on +44 (0) 1908 654161 or email mct-recruitment@open.ac.uk
.
7. Where to send completed applications
The following guidelines are designed to help you submit a job application in line with our requirements. Applicants who do not follow the above procedure will be at a disadvantage. a) Application form:
Please ensure you complete all the sections of the form.
Once completed, sign and date the application form to confirm that the information is correct.
Internal applicants only – information about references: When completing the
‘References’ section of the application form, please ensure you specify your Head of Unit as your ‘current employer’, as he/she is responsible for providing this reference or nominating an appropriate alternative referee. The employing Unit is responsible for requesting references from your referees. b) Curriculum Vitae:
That includes details of research qualifications, experience, publications, and professional activities. Please remove any information from your CV that might give an indication of your race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, as these details are
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irrelevant to your application. You should include your current salary details. c) Covering Letter
A covering letter of up to 500 words briefly describing why you meet the requirements for the post, including relevant skills and experience. Your letter will be explored during the interview process.
Please ensure that your application reaches the University by: 29 July 2010 @ 12 noon
Post it to:
Name/Job title: The Recruitment Co-Ordinator
Department/Unit: Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology
Address: The Open University
Pentz Building
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
Post Code: MK7 6AA
Or e-mail your application to: mct-recruitment@open.ac.uk
8. Selection process and date of interview
The interview panel will be chaired by Dr Peter Robbins. The other members of the interview panel will be Prof Joanna Chataway, Dr Becky Hanlin, Cathie Lyall . The shortlisting will be held on 3 August 2010 and the interviews will be held on 9 August 2010.
The selection process for this post will include an assessment of the applicant’s cover letter, application, one publication, and an interview.
We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will also be sent to shortlisted candidates.
Applications received after the closing data will not be accepted.
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