Research Associate (Manuscript Pamphleteering in Early Stuart England)

Job Purpose

The School of History and Cultures at the University of Birmingham has secured AHRC funding for an exciting new project entitled 'Manuscript Pamphleteering in Early Stuart England'. This multi-strand project, undertaken in partnership with the British Library and the Historical Association, aims to chart the manuscript political literature of pre-Revolutionary England. Working closely with the principal investigator, Dr Noah Millstone, and supported by the project's small interdisciplinary team of historians, literary critics and technical specialists, the RA will play a leading role in developing a digital database of early modern pamphlet texts; organizing a symposium involving an international group of early modern researchers; and helping conducting events with archival staff and history instructors across the UK.

The post is offered for 15 months on a full-time basis from 1 June 2017.

Person Specification

Required criteria:
- A PhD in early modern British literature or history (which must have been awarded by the time the individual takes up the post)
- Expertise in palaeography and book history, including confident command of seventeenth-century manuscript hands and an ability to transcribe them accurately, and some experience with major early modern manuscript collections
- High level analytical capability
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
- Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
- Decide in consultation with the principal investigator as appropriate, on the most appropriate way of undertaking the specified research activities, and how to analyse and interpret the data
- Decide in consultation with the principal investigator as appropriate what knowledge to draw on and how to apply it to develop new intellectual understanding
- Contribute to deciding what information to include in a bid for research funding and how to present the bid to maximise the likelihood of securing the funding
- Decide in collaboration with co-authors which aspects of the research findings to include in a presentation or a publication and how to convey the findings
- Give guidance, support and advice to students on research related work including PhD students and decide the most appropriate method of providing this supervision
- Liaise with research staff and support staff on research-related matters
- Liaise with external collaborators on the research, where appropriate
- Give presentations and/or contribute to presentations at national and/or international conferences
- Referee articles for peer-reviewed academic journals
- Maintain contact with (including membership of) appropriate professional bodies
- Liaise with the relevant external research community via seminars and conferences
- Participate in internal networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future collaboration
- Liaise with external clients of the University or members of the public

Desirable criteria:
- Experience with digital humanities, particularly in XML
- Experience of using databases
- Experience of event organisation and administration