Research Associate in Planning

Job Title:

Research Associate in Planning

Posting

Start Date:

17/08/2026

Job

School/Department:
Geography & Planning

Work Arrangement:
Part Time (Hybrid)

Contract Type:
Fixed-term

Salary per annum (£): 38,784 - 41,064 pro rata to 0.9

FTE

Closing Date: 07/09/2026

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

We have an exciting opportunity in the School of Geography and Planning for a researcher with an interest in the political dimensions of urban planning.

Based in one of the UK’s foremost planning schools, you will work with Dr Jason Slade on the ESRC-funded project, ‘Planning and populism: professionals at the precipice’. The project will investigate the relationship between planning and populism in England, looking to explore the implications of new political complexities, understand how planners are navigating them, and how planning might be reimagined for the 21st century.

You will use your skills to make a vital contribution to the project: conducting a variety of original qualitative research, undertaking analysis of data and disseminating findings in high quality outputs. The varied and dynamic role provides an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and take the next step in your career.

We are seeking candidates with a PhD in planning or a discipline of relevance to the project. You should have demonstrable understanding of urban planning in the UK, as well as experience of undertaking qualitative research, ideally including ethnographic and participatory methods.

• Undertake research on planning in line with project requirements (including remote ethnographic fieldwork within the UK that will likely involve overnight stays)
• Collect and analyse a variety of primary and secondary qualitative data from multiple sources
• Read and review literature as appropriate
• Contribute to writing of project outputs, including scholarly publications
• Liaise closely with other academics, advisers and administrators relevant to the project
• Contribute to and attend conference presentations, workshops and research advisory group meetings, as well as assisting in the running of them
• Support project reporting requirements
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

• A PhD in planning or a discipline of relevance to the project
• Application/interview
• Demonstrable understanding of urban planning in the UK, including its political dimensions
• Application/interview
• Experience of undertaking qualitative research and analysis
• Application/interview
• Experience of ethnographic research
• Application/interview
• Ability to conduct participatory workshops with both communities of practice and the general public
• Application/interview
• Strong communication skills in a variety of mediums
• Application/interview
• Ability to contribute to scholarly publications
• Application/interview
• Ability to manage individual workload and to work on own initiative
• Application/interview
• Ability to work collaboratively with others
• Application/interview
• Willingness to spend periods of time away from home (e.g. whilst conducting fieldwork or attending conferences)
• Application/interview

7

£38,784 to £41,064 FTE pro-rata to 0.9

FTE

Part-time (0.9 FTE)

2 years: 1st January 2027 to 31st December 2028

For informal enquiries about this job contact Jason Slade, Lecturer in Planning and Project Lead: on

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in mid-September. This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have…