Overview
This post is designed for an outstanding research associate in the field of history. The post-holder will conduct research on the 3‑year project “The 101st kilometre: Soviet marginalization, migration, memory, and mapping”, funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
The project offers the first interdisciplinary investigation of the 101st kilometre in Soviet and post‑Soviet cultures, combining expertise from history, cultural studies, and digital humanities. It will analyse and map 101st‑kilometre practices of urban exclusion, migration, community‑building, and commemoration across Ukraine, Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
You will be working as part of a UK team led by Professor Polly Jones (PI, University of Oxford) and Dr Miriam Dobson (CoI, University of Sheffield).
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Survey the research literature and help develop the team’s research strategy.
* Conduct archival and museum research in Kazakhstan (10 weeks of fieldwork).
* Conduct archival research at the Hoover Institution, USA (3 weeks), and in the UK, using digitised and print collections.
* Manage data storage; process and analyse data; identify data for digital mapping output.
* Contribute to the ethical approval process.
* Assist in the writing of the project website/blog, newsletters, reports and scholarly publications.
* Present work in progress to the project team and at events and conferences both independently and as part of the project team.
* Disseminate research findings through a single‑author journal article.
* Attend project meetings.
* Keep up to date with current knowledge and recent advances in the field/discipline.
* Actively engage in personal, professional and career development, to enhance both specialist and transferable skills in accordance with desired career trajectory.
* Carry out other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
Essential Criteria
* Have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in the relevant field.
* Demonstrable track record of research specialism in history, particularly Soviet history.
* Proven ability to carry out high‑quality research and disseminate findings.
* Fluent Russian language skills.
* Effective written and verbal communication skills, report‑writing, and experience delivering presentations.
* Good computer literacy and data‑management practices.
* Ability to work both within a team and independently.
* Ability to think strategically and innovatively.Ability to plan and prioritise own daily work and forward plan.
* Ability to organise and run conferences and workshops for academic and non‑academic audiences.
* Proven ability to work to and meet deadlines.
* Commitment to promoting and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion principles and practices.
Desirable Criteria
* Additional language skills (e.g. Kazakh).
* Experience of conducting research in Central Asia.
Benefits
* 41 days annual leave (including public holidays) with option to purchase more.
* Flexible working, including hybrid options.
* Generous pension scheme.
* Wide range of retail discounts.
* Staff networks (Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s).
* Recognition awards and developmental support.
* Family‑friendly policies (paid parenting leave, menopause support, fertility treatment support).
Additional Information
Grade: 7.3
Salary: £38,784 per annum
Duration: Fixed‑term for 18 months from 1 September 2026 to 29 February 2028
Hours of work per week: Full‑time
Website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hpdh
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