Postdoctoral Research Associate

Toxic Heritage:
Socio-natural Landscapes of Extraction and Pollution in the Harz and Cornwall

The Royal College of Art is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the UK team of the AHRC-funded project Toxic Heritage:
Socio-natural Landscapes of Extraction and Pollution in the Harz and Cornwall (AH/Z507465/1).

This interdisciplinary project investigates mining landscapes as enduring socio‑natural environments shaped by centuries of extraction and pollution. Challenging heritage narratives that privilege technological progress and economic development, Toxic Heritage foregrounds toxic residues as integral to mining’s legacy, revealing how these demanding material inheritances have structured long‑term human–nature interactions. By adopting an ecologically grounded conceptualisation of mining heritage, the project contributes to wider debates on environmental crisis and the Anthropocene.

The project is delivered by two linked research teams: a UK‑based team at the RCA funded by the AHRC, and a Germany‑based team funded by the DFG. The appointed Postdoctoral Researcher will join the UK team and will be line‑managed by the UK Principal Investigator.

The postholder will undertake high‑quality, rigorous research aligned with the project’s objectives, combining ethnographic fieldwork and historical archive research focused on the UK case study site in the Tamar Valley on the Cornwall–Devon border. This will include ethnographic fieldwork in the region and archival research at Kresen Kernow (Redruth) and other relevant collections.

Working closely with the UK Principal Investigator and project team, the postholder will contribute to the design and delivery of research, engagement, and dissemination activities. They will author or co‑author a range of outputs for specialist and non‑specialist audiences, including academic publications, reports, presentations, and digital content. The role also involves contributing to the creation of a digital research archive hosted by the RCA Repository and supporting the interactive project website developed by the German team.

The postholder will engage in the wider scholarly life of the School of Arts and Humanities and the College, including participation in research events, presentations, and, where appropriate, teaching.

Applicants will hold a recently awarded doctorate, or be very close to completion, in a discipline relevant to the project (such as anthropology, history, environmental or sustainability studies, heritage studies, or related fields). They will have proven experience of conducting substantial ethnographic and/or archival research, producing high‑quality text‑based outputs, and a strong understanding of research ethics and data management.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent academic writing and communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively, flexibility in managing diverse tasks, and experience of engaging varied audiences, including local communities and digital publics. Experience of working on funded research projects, interdisciplinary collaboration, digital research archives, or relevant methodological approaches, as well as German language skills, would be an advantage.

If you are excited by interdisciplinary research, committed to rethinking heritage from an ecological perspective, and eager to work collaboratively on an ambitious international project, we encourage you to apply. This post offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge research with real‑world relevance while developing your own research profile within a supportive and intellectually vibrant environment.