Research Fellow - Equity in Education

Edinburgh Napier University is proud to be the #1 modern university in Scotland (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025) and the leading university in Edinburgh for student satisfaction for five years in a row (National Student Survey 2020–2024). We are also recognised as the top Scottish modern university for research power and impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Applied Sciences is committed to providing an environment that recognises and supports research excellence.

As part of our partnership with Robertson Trust along with City of Glasgow College and Queen Margaret University, we are currently leading a project that intends to deliver ‘big change’ in Scotland’s tertiary education sector by transforming policy and practice through the lenses of trauma and poverty.

As such, we have an opportunity for a Research Fellow to join the project on a 0.8 FTE basis for 16 months and play a key role in shaping the project which seeks to change cultures and shape a sustainable education system that is trauma-informed and prioritises student wellbeing.

The Role:

As Research Fellow you will have the opportunity to use your research experience in a relevant field to evaluate the impact of policies and practices across the student journey, and work in partnership with students who have experienced poverty and trauma to co-create methodology that identifies critical institutional policies and practices that impose barriers on their progress.

Your experience of designing and facilitating interactive workshops and planning processes will stand you in good stead as you lead on the development, coordination and delivery of research to gather evidence for the project, identifying and working with relevant datasets to gather a range of student perspectives, enhancing our understanding of student needs, expectations and experiences.

We anticipate that as an experienced researcher, you will be in a strong position to also use your expertise in one or more relevant research methodologies (such as surveys, corporate research, oral histories, participatory action research, or mixed methods) to gather evidence and build a sector-wide toolkit and evaluative model to accelerate, elicit and measure the effectiveness of policy/practices that lead to institutional culture change.

This is an excellent opportunity to enhance your research career with a meaningful and potentially impactful study, of which the outcomes could influence and steer positive change for students that have experienced adverse circumstances in their lives.

If you have relevant experience and subject matter expertise, with the motivation to make a positive difference, then we would love to hear from you.

What we will need from you:

- A PhD in a relevant field

- Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline or significant equivalent experience

- Demonstrable experience of carrying out research using evidence-informed approaches

- Expertise in one or more relevant research methodologies

- Outstanding oral and written communications skills

- Demonstrable interest in equity, social justice and/or trauma-informed practice.

When applying, please provide a supporting statement to outline your fit for this role.

Benefits we offer:

We offer support and recognition wherever due, as well as fantastic benefits such as an attractive pension with employer contributions of 17.6 - 26% (depending on circumstances) and paid annual leave entitlement based on 46 days.

There are professional development opportunities, discounted access to onsite sports facilities and a wide range of other staff discounts. For more information about our wide range of benefits, click here.

Additional Information:

Salary: £38,448 per annum (pro rata and depending on experience)

Contract: 16 months, 28 hours/wk

Apply by: 12th November 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 23rd November 2026.

On this occasion, the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship or visa support for this role. International applicants will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Edinburgh Napier is committed to creating an environment where everyone feels proud, confident, challenged and supported. Please see here for more information.

Equality and diversity information