Postdoctoral Research Associate in Catholic Social Thought and Practice (

Job Number:

25000616)

Department of Theology and Religion

Grade 7: - £38,249 to £45,413 per annum

Fixed Term - Full Time

Contract Duration: 3 years/36 months

Contracted Hours per Week: 35

Closing Date

: 04-Jul-2025, 11:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

Our Purpose and Values

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page

The Role and Department

Durham’s Department of Theology and Religion is one of the very best UK departments in this field, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. It is held in high esteem across the globe, as reflected in the QS World Reputation rankings, which placed Durham’s department as 6th worldwide based on its most recent survey in 2023. In January 2024, in recognition of its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion the department was awarded the Athena Swan Silver Award by Advance HE.

The Department of Theology and Religion currently comprises 33 academic teaching staff, 15 research staff and 10 professional support staff. We currently have a large cohort of undergraduate students (around 75 per year group) studying on 3 programmes, including the BA in Religion, Society and Culture, and over 200 postgraduate students, studying on MA, PhD and DThM (professional doctorate in theology and ministry) programmes.

The Department has three overlapping areas of academic expertise:

Biblical Studies (including Hebrew Bible, New Testament, early Christianity, and early Judaism);

Christian Theology (including historical and contemporary theology, philosophy, and ethics);

Study of Religion (including the empirical study of contemporary religion and its contexts of practice).

The Department enjoys many cross-departmental and interdisciplinary links around the University, including with the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, as well as a strong, collaborative relationship with the theological institutions based in and around Durham (e.g. Cranmer Hall).

With its home in Abbey House, right next to Durham Cathedral, a UNESCO world Heritage site, it is a beautiful and immensely exciting place to study and to research in Theology and Religion.

For more information, please visit our Department pages at www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/theology-religion/

The Department is also home to a number of research centres, including the Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) (https://www.dur.ac.uk/theology.religion/ccs/). The CCS, established in October 2007, is a unique body: a major research and teaching centre explicitly focussed on the study of Catholic Theology and Catholic Studies more widely (including the empirical study of Catholicism, Catholic social thought and practice, the history of Catholicism, Franciscan Studies, and the cultural impact of Catholicism).

The Role

The Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University, in partnership with the Society of the Sacred Heart, invites applications for a 36-month Fellowship in Catholic Social Thought and Practice.

The successful applicant will be expected to work on a research topic of their own choosing in the area of Catholic Social Thought and Practice (CSTP) as agreed with the Director of the Centre for Catholic Studies and Professor Anna Rowlands. Proposals could include exploring fundamental philosophical/theological/anthropological questions pertaining to the development of CST, or exploring CST in relation to specific topics, such as work/employment, human migration, incarceration and the criminal justice system, democracy/populism, Artificial Intelligence, integral ecology, war/peace, or the structural response to poverty. (This is an indicative not an exhaustive list of possible topics.)

The post is designed for further development of an early career scholar in both traditional academic patterns (research, publication and where appropriate for the successful candidate’s career development, the possibility for some teaching), and also in working in a more outward facing mode offering theological accompaniment to a relevant organisation, association or movement that has direct practitioner interests in the area of CSTP.

The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with Professor Anna Rowlands, the St Hilda Professor in Catholic Social Thought and Practice, and will have a link to the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice ( www.ccstp.org.uk ).

The post holder will be fully involved in the life and work of Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) through such means as: regular participation in and contribution to the Durham Catholic Theology Research Seminar, and other such lectures, conferences, and public events organised by the CCS; participation in CCS Research Conversations, and the annual Friends’ and Benefactors’ event.

Key responsibilities:

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.
• To participate in the events of the Centre for Catholic Studies and the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice.
• To assist in theological accompaniment work for one or more relevant practice-based organisations, as agreed with and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.

This post is fixed term for 36 months; the funding is available from 1 September 2025 for this fixed period only; the project is time limited and will end on 31 August 2028.

The post-holder is employed to work on a research project of their choosing as agreed with the Director of the Centre for Catholic Studies and Professor Anna Rowlands and under the supervision of Professor Anna Rowlands. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1 October 2025.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

• 30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.
• The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• We offer a generous pension scheme. As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
• Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

Professor Anna Rowlands – anna.rowlands@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.
• A 1000-1500 word proposal for the scholarly research that will be undertaken in the are of Catholic Social Thought and Practice.

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around August 2025.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

1. A good first degree in an appropriate subject.
2. A PhD (or be close to submission) in an appropriate subject.

Experience

1. Experience in conducting high quality academic research.
2. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
3. Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national/international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.
4. Experience in working with grassroots organisations or equivalent.

Skills

1. Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.
2. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a range of audiences and a range of media.

Desirable Criteria

Experience

1. Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
2. A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
3. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.
4. Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.
5. Experience in collaboration between academic and other practice-based contexts.

Skills

1. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

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