Fixed Term – 36 Months

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Sunday 16 August 2020  (unless otherwise stated)

Salary: £34,804 to £40,322 per annum (Grade 7). Appointment is likely to be made at £34,804 pa due to funding restrictions.

Do you have a PhD or equivalent and experience in late medieval literary studies? Are you looking for research role that will put to use your knowledge, experience and interest in this area?

The University of Kent and Queen’s University Belfast are embarking upon a three-year project funded by the Leverhulme Trust to investigate the theory that London citizens created new programmes of religious education for both the City’s clergy and for literate lay communities that have hitherto gone largely unnoticed by scholarship. Led by Dr Ryan Perry (Kent) and Dr Stephen Kelly (Queen’s), the project aims to radically complicate understanding of fifteenth-century literary culture in the capital and beyond, and the team is now looking to appoint two Research Associates to join them, one based at each University.

These roles will see you completing codicological assessments of the project’s manuscript corpus, preparing textual transcriptions for the research anthology, utilising a range of digital humanities tools and data, preparing your analysis for publication and disseminating findings in conference presentations. You will therefore need to demonstrate experience in codicological analysis and palaeographical skills in a range of C14-C15 book hands, as well as a keen desire to contribute to the research and intellectual culture of the relevant university.

As Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) for this project you will:

• plan and manage research activity and undertake research for the project
• produce publishable research
• communicate closely with the other PDRA and present progress reports
• disseminate and publicise research findings and co-organise a conference

The PDRA based at the University of Kent will work with Dr Ryan Perry on the codicological assessment of the project’s corpus with a view to identifying codices the project team believe were either produced or copied from exemplars originally held at the London Guildhall Library.

The PDRA based at Queen’s University Belfast will be responsible for producing diplomatic transcriptions of the project’s textual corpus and undertake preparatory work on the anthology.

To be successful in either role you will need:

• a PhD (or be near to completing one), or equivalent, in a relevant are of late medieval literary studies (eg. late medieval English Studies, late medieval English religious History, medieval Book History)
• experience of undertaking codicological analysis
• knowledge of fourteenth and fifteenth century English religious literature and culture
• experience in writing and publishing in high quality academic publications

To apply for the University of Kent post, click on ‘Apply Online’ below. Further details about the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies and working at Kent can be found in the Additional Information document also available below. For further information regarding the application process, contact The Resourcing Team at jobs@kent.ac.uk 

For more information on the post based at Queen’s University Belfast, please email Dr Stephen Kelly. A link for applications to that post will be posted here shortly.

Please note – Applications must be made via the University’s online application system. CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.

The University of Kent values diversity and promotes equality at all levels

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, all interviews will take place remotely. Our processes will evolve as the Government advice is updated.

More information can be found here.