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Research Assistant in Higher Education

Details


1116260


University of Surrey


01/09/2026


Other - See Job


Starting 1st September 2026 working 1 day per week until 30th January 2027.


Not Applicable

Pay


£19.57


£2.36

Description

Role

Applications are invited for a part-time Research Assistant to work with Dr Vily Papageorgiou at the Surrey Institute of Education, University of Surrey. 

The Research Assistant will support a small-scale higher education research project situated broadly within the areas of Generative AI, learning design, curriculum development and teaching practice. 

The primary responsibilities will be to support the design and implementation of a scoping literature review and an analysis of publicly available institutional documents. The postholder will contribute to identifying, organising, reviewing and synthesising relevant literature, as well as supporting the systematic collection, organisation and preliminary analysis of university strategies, policies and guidance. 

The role would suit a doctoral researcher, recent PhD graduate or early-career researcher with strong literature-review skills and a genuine interest in contemporary developments in higher education, digital education and learning design. The successful candidate will be able to work independently and methodically while contributing ideas and collaborating closely with the Principal Investigator. 

There may also be opportunities to contribute to wider aspects of the project, including the preparation of research publications, the organisation of a research event and the presentation or dissemination of findings. The role may therefore provide opportunities for future academic collaboration, subject to shared interests, contribution and future availability. 

£19.57 per hour + £2.36 per hour holiday pay or £20.13 per hour + £2.43 per hour holiday pay.

The rate will be dependent on the candidate. If they are mid-way through their PhD, it will be £19.57, if they have submitted their thesis or have graduated it will be £20.13.

Start 1st September 2026 until 30th January 2027 - 150 hours in total working 1 day per week or more depending on the candidates preference. 

Please submit your cv and a cover letter of no more than one page explaining how your experience relates to the essential and, where relevant, desirable criteria. 

Applications must be received by 18:00 UK time on Sunday 23rd August 2026. 

Please note that the advert may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications is received. Early applications are therefore encouraged. 

 

Duties and responsibilities

  • contribute to the development and implementation of a scoping literature review; 

  • conduct structured searches across relevant academic databases; 

  • screen, organise and manage literature and associated records; 

  • extract, categorise and synthesise findings from relevant studies; 

  • support the collection and analysis of publicly available institutional documents; 

  • maintain accurate and well-organised records of research processes and decisions; 

  • provide clear updates on progress; 

  • support administrative, dissemination and event-related activities where required; 

  • potentially contribute to conference presentations and research publications.

Skills and experience
Essential criteria 

 

  • hold a relevant Master’s degree and be undertaking a PhD in an area related to the project, or have recently completed a relevant PhD or DPhil within (Higher) Education; 

  • have research interests or experience relevant to one or more of the following areas: educational technology, Generative AI, learning design, digital education, higher education, curriculum development, teacher development; 

  • have experience of conducting structured literature searches; 

  • have experience of reviewing, organising and synthesising academic literature; 

  • demonstrate an understanding of document analysis;

Applicants should demonstrate: 

  • excellent literature-search, synthesis and academic writing skills; 

  • the ability to work methodically and maintain clear, accurate and well-organised research records; 

  • the ability to plan, prioritise and manage their own workload proactively; 

  • strong analytical skills and confidence in reviewing academic and institutional documents; 

  • excellent attention to detail; 

  • excellent written and verbal communication skills; 

  • a collaborative, constructive and reliable approach to working with others; 

  • intellectual curiosity and a willingness to contribute ideas; 

  • the ability to take ownership of agreed tasks and see them through to completion; 

  • strong digital skills, including experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook; 

  • the confidence to identify development needs and seek clarification or support when appropriate.

Desirable criteria 
 

  • experience of undertaking a scoping or systematic review; 

  • familiarity with review-management or reference-management software; 

  • experience of document analysis or qualitative data analysis; 

  • knowledge of current debates in digital education and higher education; 

  • experience of contributing to academic publications, research reports or conference presentations;

Location
Remote

Additional information

There is flexibility in how the hours are distributed. For example, the successful candidate may choose to work approximately one day per week until the end of January or to complete the work more intensively over a shorter period, such as two or three months. The precise working pattern will be agreed with the successful candidate, taking account of project requirements and their other commitments. 

The role can be undertaken largely remotely, although occasional in-person meetings may be agreed depending on the candidate’s circumstances. 

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