Job Description

Salary

Grade G : 23,327.00 - 27,629.00 p.a

Contractual hours

22

Basis

Part time

Region

Temporary - Part time

Job Type

Research

Job reference

R08697



The School of Social Sciences is looking to appoint a Research Fellow on a fixed term contract basis.

The key responsibility of the role is to support the development of a research project evaluating Play Well For Life's augmented reality board game, Dragons of Afterlands, which is a novel, peer-based digital mental health solution. You will conduct research individually and/or as part of a research team in relation to evaluating Dragons of Afterlands to achieve outcomes which will meet the objectives of the project. In addition, you will lead on collecting mixed research data with children, young people and associated professionals as well as supporting with dissemination. You will play a central role in contributing to the research, planning and writing of a final report and publications (desirable) and further develop an initial literature review. The project will work closely with several alternative (education) provisions who currently support school-aged pupils unable to attend school due to their mental health or other related needs. This research therefore aims to engage with a wide range of children, young people and other stakeholders to support them to undertake and share research on areas related to social and digital learning, belonging, trust, peer learning, wellness and mental health.

About you

You will hold a PhD in a relevant discipline (and/or ideally equivalent research experience with children and young people). You bring proven expertise in participatory or youth-led research, with experience of a range of methods, including creative approaches with vulnerable groups. Skilled in analysing and presenting data, you can produce high-quality reports and communicate findings clearly to diverse audiences. You are confident working both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Flexible and organised, you can manage your own workload, travel within the UK, and work outside standard hours when needed. You are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to addressing bias in research practice.

Desirable attributes include experience with digital learning, social science and education theory, conducting semi-structured interviews (including with children and young people with SEND), and writing for academic publication, alongside a willingness to continue developing expertise in youth, child or disability studies.

Where is this role based? This post is principally based at our lively Frenchay campus where we have invested in the latest facilities and resources to give both our staff and students access to everything they need to succeed.

Why UWE Bristol?

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in vibrant Bristol, our ambitions are to make a positive difference to our planet, transforming futures through actions and solving real world challenges.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, very generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

We also provide a tailored professional programme to support our academic colleagues in delivering the highest in professional teaching standards.

UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community.

We are proud to be part of a dynamic, multicultural city that celebrates diversity, we're always looking for talented people from all backgrounds to join us. Our people are our strength, and diversity enhances our creativity and leads to better decision-making and problem-solving. Bring your talent and ambition to our stimulating and supportive community where we'll help you thrive.

All appointments are made strictly on individual merit. As a Disability Confident employer we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability.

Further information

If you would like to contact us to find out more about this role please contact Dr Craig Johnston via email: c.johnston@uwe.ac.uk

Interviews are scheduled to take place via Microsoft Teams on

Monday 13th October 2025

This is a fixed term, part-time post starting as soon as is possible until approximately 31/08/2026 working on a 0.6 FTE basis.

This role is flexible in terms of location, with the expectation to attend meetings and research days at Frenchay campus along with flexibility to arrange specific days for research site visits with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.

This post requires enhanced DBS clearance.

Right to Work in the UK

The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to work in the UK. You will therefore be required to provide evidence of this right, please refer to the Home Office Right to Work Checklist for information on which documents are acceptable.

Advice to applicants

We'd love to hear from you - if you are excited about this opportunity please complete our application form as soon as possible.

Tell us how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role by describing how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the , and include specific examples wherever possible.

Once we have completed shortlisting we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, so please check your inbox for updates.