RBC - Research Assistant - FTC

Postdoctoral Research Assistant (Reference RBC
25008)

Location:

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham, West Midlands

Salary: £38,050 to £44,131 per annum (fixed term)

Post type:
Full Time, Release Date: 09 December 2025, Closing Date: 08 January 2026 (23:59 GMT)

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 across musicology, ethnography, computer science, geomorphology, landscape architecture, heritage and involves partnerships with Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Oxford, the National Trust and Britten‑Pears Arts. Researchers will use cutting‑edge digital methods to reconstruct historical soundscapes on the East Coast, create new heritage resources and explore connections between changing landscapes, music and sound.

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) to join the project for a three‑year period. The successful candidate will be based at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under the supervision of Dr Joanna Bullivant (PI) and Professor Carlo Harvey (Co‑Lead). You will benefit from access to BCU’s STEAMhouse facilities and collaborate with interdisciplinary researchers in acoustics, virtual reality (VR), ambisonics and immersive media.

This role offers opportunities to shape and develop your own research profile within a dynamic and collaborative team.

• Participate in 3D scanning and sound recording work at project case study sites.
• Contribute to the development of immersive VR and soundscape reconstructions.
• Lead 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.

• A PhD (or near completion) in Digital Heritage, Computer Science, Digital Humanities, Acoustics or a related field.
• Demonstrable experience with 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 in 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.