British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) Research Fellowship 2022

British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) Research Fellowship 2022

Deadline: February 15, 2022

Applications are open for the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) Research Fellowship 2022. The BIEA seeks to appoint several early career researchers who have successfully completed doctoral studies within the last 5 years, to fill a number of full-time one-year Research Fellow positions at the research hub in Nairobi, Kenya.

Candidates should work in any discipline of the humanities and social sciences and must be able to demonstrate their research is aligned with one of the six Research Themes:

  • Retelling the Past
  • Changing Environments
  • Urban Lives
  • Technologies of Politics
  • Next Generations
  • Epidemics, pandemics and epizootics

Responsibilities

Key duties of the BIEA Research Fellows, in consultation with the Kenya Country Director, will include:

  • Conducting research in his/her own field of specialisation of strategic relevance to the BIEA, including carrying out field work or other research activities, and publishing peer-reviewed and popular outputs (including on their website and social media). A small research budget is available, but candidates are expected to apply for external funding to supplement this. At least one research paper must be submitted to a peer reviewed publication within the course of the year.
  • Developing a funding proposal for a research collaboration that includes at least one UK-based academic and that includes BIEA as a partner, that must be submitted during the year to a specified funding organisation.
  • Contributing to the academic environment of the BIEA by support visiting researchers and their academic partners with information and advice.
  • Encouraging a collegiate and dynamic academic environment by, for example, organizing research seminars and participating in workshops and training programs being run by the BIEA.
  • Overseeing certain aspects of BIEA activities such as their graduate training programs and contributing to the production of their Annual Review.
  • Representing the BIEA at academic meetings and conferences, and helping the BIEA to develop its networks and partnerships.

Eligibility

  • Applicants should have the right to work in Kenya and must be available to start on April 1, 2022.
  • Applicants should originate from any country in the East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).
  • Applicants should have completed a PhD in the last five years (with allowance made for family-related or other relevant career breaks) made for family-related or other relevant career breaks) or be able to demonstrate that they are about to complete a PhD (i.e., the application must include a letter from the PhD supervisor confirming that the applicant has submitted and is awaiting their viva) on a regionally relevant topic within the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences.
  • Applicants should be working on a research project that will contribute innovative and policy-relevant scholarship in the humanities and social sciences as they concern Eastern Africa, and Africa more generally.
  • Applicants should have excellent English written and oral communication skills.
  • Applicants based at a university or other organisation must have secured support from their employer for permission to take up a year-long external post.
  • Salary and benefits package will be offered at a competitive rate, appropriate to experience and career-stage.
  • Applications from academics whose research extends beyond the traditional geographical and research focus of the BIEA are particularly encouraged.

Application

Applications should be submitted to jobs@biea.ac.uk by 1700h EAT on February 15, 2022. Your application will include a full CV with details of three references and a cover letter. In addition, the following documents are required:

  • A proposal for research that will be undertaken during the course of the year, including an outline of at least one publication to be submitted to a high-impact journal during the year (maximum 3 pages).
  • An outline of a collaborative research project including at least one UK-based academic and that includes BIEA as a partner, that will be developed and submitted to a specified funding organisation during the year (maximum 2 pages).
  • Ideas for contributing to and developing the academic environment of the BIEA (maximum 1 page).

For more information, visit BIEA Research Fellowship.