£11.44 per hour + £1.38 holiday pay
Advertising End Date
05 May 2025
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • FASS Exclusive Internship: Research Associate, The Davy Notebooks Project

Role & Department Overview

Please note: this internship is only available to current students registered on a degree scheme in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University.  

If you apply for this role the information within your application will be shared with the recruiting organisation.

The Davy Notebooks Project (2019-24), with the help of over 3,800 volunteer transcribers, transcribed Sir Humphry Davy's (1778-1829) entire notebook collection on Zooniverse, the world's largest and most popular platform for people-powered research, between 2019 and 2024. This work forms the basis of the crowdsourced transcriptions presented in our digital edition, alongside images of the notebook pages. The majority of the accompanying notes to the edition are based on original research carried out by our volunteer community, and posted on the Davy Notebooks Project Talk forum.
 

The Davy Notebooks Project is housed in the English Literature and Creative Writing Department in FASS and the University Library and led by Professor Sharon Ruston. The transcriptions are now online and work needs to be done to ensure that they are correct, editing them where needed (on github, using specialist software: Microsoft Visual Studio) and entering information into Excel spreadsheets for the people, places, chemicals, and other noteworthy references that form the annotations.

These references need to be researched and verified (using online sources such as Wikipedia). The successful applicant will also update and revise the project website (WordPress) and social media (Facebook, Instagram, X). The successful applicant will work within a dynamic research environment, engaging with both academic researchers and the wider public to ensure the project's accuracy and accessibility.

Closing Date: 5th May

Start Date:  Week commencing 2nd June

End Date: 31st July

Interview: TBC week commencing 26 May

Location: Remote

Working Pattern / Hours per week: Flexible up to 35 in total

 

Job Description

Main Responsibilities:
 
  • Transcription Review & Correction:
  • Identify and correct errors in transcriptions using feedback from Excel sheets and the Zooniverse Talk forum.
  • Implement revisions on GitHub using Microsoft Visual Studio and specialist software.
  • Annotation Creation & Verification:
  • Create, check, and revise annotations for people, places, chemicals, and other references.
  • Enter annotation data into spreadsheets, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
  • Conduct research using online sources (e.g., Wikipedia) to verify references.
  • Project Website & Social Media Management:
  • Update and maintain the project website (WordPress), ensuring content is current and accurate.
  • Manage and engage with project social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, X), sharing updates and relevant content.
  • Collaboration & Documentation:
  • Work closely with the project team to ensure consistency in corrections and annotations.
  • Maintain detailed records of changes and research findings for project documentation.

 

Person Specification

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential Skills:

  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy in reviewing and correcting text.
  • Ability to work methodically with spreadsheets and data entry.
  • Basic research skills, with the ability to verify information using online sources.
  • Willingness to learn new digital tools and software (e.g., GitHub, Microsoft Visual Studio).
  • Good written communication skills for annotation creation and website/social media updates.
  • Ability to work independently and manage tasks effectively.

Desirable Skills & Experience:

  • Familiarity with transcription or annotation work.
  • Experience using WordPress or managing social media platforms.
  • Interest in history, literature, digital humanities, or archival research.
  • Basic coding or experience using GitHub (training can be provided).
  • Experience participating or contributing to Zooniverse or other crowdsourced projects.
This role is ideal for students looking to develop their research, digital skills, and experience in an academic or heritage setting. Training and support will be provided.
 
Please submit a CV (maximum of two sides) and a Cover Letter (maximum one side) both tailored to the role, and include the following details:
  • What course in the LU Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are you currently studying?
  • When is your expected graduation? (month and year)
  • Why are you interested in this internship?
  • What skills and experiences do you have relevant to this role?
  • Please mention any other information you deem relevant.

You are required to submit a cover letter to support your application. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Please note:Unless specified otherwise in the advert wording, this role is only open to individuals living in the UK.

Under the terms of this work, we endeavour to provide the advertised number of hours however,hours are not guaranteed and that work may cease if there is a fall in demand. 

Adverts that display a closing date should be treated as a guide. We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.

 
Apply

Help and advice on making applications can be found on the Lancaster University Careers pages. Visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/careers.

Copyright © 2025 Powered by Eploy