Research Associate​/Fellow; Social Study of Synthetic Genomics

Role

We are looking to appoint two researchers to join the Wellcome Discovery Award‑funded project Care‑full Synthesis:
Advancing Global Engagement on the Socio‑Ethical Implications of Synthesising Human Genomes. Successful candidates will be appointed as either Research Associate (Grade
7) or Research Fellow (Grade
8) depending on their expertise, skills and experience.

• Conduct research into the socio‑ethical, economic and political implications of genome synthesis and engineering biology.
• Collaborate with international partners, stakeholders and research participants to support data collection, analysis and dissemination activities.
• Contribute to the development of governance, ethics and public engagement approaches that reflect diverse global perspectives.
• Support the communication and dissemination of research findings through publications, events and other project activities.

• A PhD or equivalent in a relevant field within the social studies of science, e.g. sociology, anthropology, political science, bioethics, science communication or related disciplines.
• Knowledge of the ethical, social and policy dimensions of emerging biomedical sciences.
• Experience of conducting and communicating high‑quality research and publishing in internationally recognised journals.
• The ability to collaborate and engage effectively with a range of stakeholders and partners.

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your professional development and wellbeing. You will have access to the following benefits:

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working; remote work may be supported with regular attendance of the Canterbury campus.
• 43 days’ leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part‑time staff).
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions.
• Corporate employee‑funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health.

This role is based at the School of Social Sciences and the university‑level research centre, the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice (GSEJ). The School is ranked 3rd in the UK for overall research quality, with 100% of its environment classed as world‑leading in the latest Research Excellence Framework ().

The University of Kent values diversity and equality at all levels.