Research Assistant

About the project

An exciting opportunity to join a project, which focuses on young disabled people and their access to cultural events, has arisen! 

The National Youth Theatre (NYT), in collaboration with National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) and Gig Buddies, has secured National Lottery Funding to run its Local Inclusivity Networks (LINs) program, which aims to promote collaboration between disabled and non-disabled communities. The aim of this is to reduce isolation, and to establish grassroots inclusivity networks in England and in Wales. To support this program, the NYT has partnered with the Centre for Applied Research on Empowering Societies (CARES) at London Metropolitan University to conduct research and evaluation in relation to the programme’s intended outcomes.   

Lead by an interdisciplinary team (CARES + London Met Lab), this new project aims to:   

• Develop a framework for the programme impact evaluation;   


• Collect baseline evaluation data (including young disabled people engagement with local cultural offer), and map out local policy and cultural offer infrastructure);  


• Co-design (for and with young disabled people) standards around inclusive cultural offers considering their lived experiences and those of their trusted support (parents, teachers, volunteer buddies) in navigating and accessing cultural offer outside educational settings;  


• Identify determinants of effective local collaborative partnerships supporting and amplifying the voices of young disabled people and influencing policy locally.  

To support this project, CARES is now looking to hire a talented candidate for a position as a Research Assistant (qualitative). 

The main tasks of the RA includes, but it not limited to: 

• conducting literature reviews of literature on disability (social sciences)


• providing an overview of the policies various local authorities have in relation to the topic


• validating transcripts of interviews conducted by the research team


• basic analysis (thematisation) of the collected data


• other desk-based research and ad hoc duties as per the hiring managers/principle investigator's instructions

Due to the nature of commissioned research work, the workload may be heavier one week and lighter the next, thus flexibility is required. The workload will be agreed upon each week, but the total amount of hours is 240, spread over the period of the project. You will mainly be working with Dr Josefine Nyby, but also with other members of the team and with external stakeholders (NYT and the NYAW). This is thus a great opportunity to join a team with established contacts in the labour market!

If you have any queries about this role, please email Dr Nyby (j.nyby@londonmet.ac.uk). To apply for the position, please click register (or, if you are already registered, log in) and apply. Please note, all applications need to be submitted through MetTemps. Please provide a relevant and up-to-date CV and a motivational letter (ca one page) where you outline how your experiences will makes you the right candidate, as well as how this fits your career plan.

No applications are accepted via email. No late applications are accepted (deadline: 5th Jan 2024). Shortlisted candidates will be notified and invited for an interview (online). Candidates not shortlisted will be notified once shortlisted candidates have been selected.

Graduate degree (or studying for one) or a completed undergraduate degree in relevant social scinecs (social policy, politics, sociology, psychology, humanities).

• Experience in qualitative research (documentary analysis, literature review) (required)


• Understanding of (social) policy in general (required) and disability in particular (preferrable) 


• Strong analytical skills and ability to work flexibly and, at times, meet tight deadlines (required)


• Strong ability to work independently and in a team (required)


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (required)


• Understanding of the not-for-profit sector and its relation to the public sector (preferrable)


• Understanding of the principle of cultural offers amongst local authorities (preferrable)