Research Fellow in Gender and Transitional Justice

Job Purpose

The Birmingham Law School has secured EU funding for an exciting new project entitled “A Comparative Study of Resilience in Survivors of War Rape and Sexual Violence: New Directions for Transitional Justice”. Two Research Fellows are required for this project with strong research skills and previous experience of working with survivors of war rape and sexual violence (or other conflict-affected groups). One of the Research Fellows will undertake fieldwork in Colombia, and the other will conduct research in Uganda.

Person Specification

Main Duties

• To develop, in collaboration with the PI, the project’s methodological tools (for example, questionnaires and interview guides)
• To participate in necessary trainings (e.g. on research ethics, fieldwork safety)
• To travel to the three case study countries (Bosnia, Colombia and Uganda)
• To collect research data in Colombia (Research Fellow 1) and Uganda (Research Fellow 2)
• To quantitatively and qualitatively analyse and interpret research data
• To contribute to developing a new model of transitional justice
• To undertake administrative tasks arising from the project
• To disseminate the research findings through journal articles, policy reports, book chapters, and any other relevant outputs or channels
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• To present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at conferences, workshops, and seminars
• To contribute to other research-related activities in the Birmingham Law School

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required

• A PhD in Law, Politics or a related discipline, or equivalent experience / qualifications
• Fieldwork experience in Latin America (Research Fellow 1) and Africa (Research Fellow 2)
• Relevant linguistic skills
• Previous experience of researching in post-conflict societies
• Previous experience of working with survivors of rape and sexual violence (or with conflict-affected groups)
• High level analytical capability
• Interviewing skills
• Advanced knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Ability to solve problems as they arise and deal with unforeseen issues
• Ability to meet deadlines