Job Description

Department
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Location
Birmingham, West Midlands
Salary
38,050 to 44,131 per annum
Fixed Term
Post Type
Full Time
Release Date
09 December 2025
Closing Date
23.59 hours GMT on Thursday 08 January 2026
Reference
RBC25008

Sonic Heritage and Environmental Change on England's East Coast, 1718-present

Sonic Heritage and Environmental Change on England's East Coast, 1718-present is a UKRI-funded Future Leaders Fellowship project led by Dr Joanna Bullivant (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire). The project combines expertise in musicology, ethnography, computer science, geomorphology, landscape architecture and heritage, involving partnerships including Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Oxford, the National Trust and Britten-Pears Arts. Researchers will work with researchers and use cutting-edge digital methods to reconstruct historical soundscapes on the East Coast, create new heritage resources, and understand connections between changing landscapes, music and sound.


We are now recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) to join the project for a three-year period. The successful candidate will be based in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire at Birmingham City University and work under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, Dr Joanna Bullivant, and Research Co-Lead, Professor Carlo Harvey (Manchester Metropolitan University). You will benefit from access to BCU's outstanding STEAMhouse facilities and work alongside interdisciplinary researchers active in fields including acoustics, virtual reality (VR), ambisonics, and immersive media. The role offers opportunities for you to shape and develop your own research profile as part of a dynamic and collaborative team. The successful candidate will:

Participate in 3D scanning and sound recording work at project case study sites. Contribute to the development of immersive VR and soundscape reconstructions. Lead on the digital development of the 'East Coast Sounds' web platform in collaboration with other project researchers. Disseminate research outputs through academic publications and collaborative public engagement activities. Make reasonable contributions to project administration alongside other team members.

Essential skills and experience include:

A PhD (or near completion) in a relevant field such as Digital Heritage, Computer Science, Digital Humanities, or Acoustics. Demonstrable experience with one or more of the following: 3D modelling, LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, spatial audio rendering, or VR development. Strong programming or technical skills in Unity/Unreal Engine, WebGL, and web development platforms. Experience of interdisciplinary or collaborative research and/or public engagement. Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team.

We offer a generous pension and annual leave provision (40 days including statutory holidays), family-friendly policies and state-of-the-art campus facilities.