£17.33 per hour + £2.09 holiday pay
Advertising End Date
23 Feb 2026

Role & Department Overview

Lancaster University is preparing its University of Sanctuary (UoS) application, led jointly by the Social Mobility and Student Success Department and the Race Equality Charter Team. We are seeking a motivated postgraduate research student to join us as a coresearcher. In this role, you will support the development, coordination, and evidence gathering required for the institutional submission, working closely with colleagues across the University and with external partners. 

Please note: Applicants must seek approval from their PhD supervisor before applying.

Start Date: 16 March 2026
End Date: 31 July 2026
Interview Date: 6 March 2026
Working Pattern: ~5 hours/week, designed to fit easily around academic commitments.
Location: Remotely (in the UK) and on the Lancaster University campus

Job Description

The co-researcher will support the UoS project team by:

  •  Mapping and reviewing existing sanctuary-related activity across the university. 
  •  Gathering evidence and examples that demonstrate alignment with the UoS principles.
  •  Gathering ideas and contributions for the UoS Action Plan.
  •  Conducting desk-based research on good practice across the sector. 
  •  Liaising with staff and students to collect case studies and examples. 
  •  Drafting sections of the UoS application and supporting documentation. 
  •  Helping to maintain accurate records of activity, progressand evidence. 
  •  Providing general project support to the UoS project team. 

Person Specification

Essential

  • Current postgraduate research student at Lancaster University 
  • Strong interest in equity, inclusion, and social justice 
  • Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple task
  • Strong written and communication skills 
  •  Ability to work independently and collaboratively 
  •  Experience in research, evidence-gathering, and literature review  
  • Confidence engaging with a range of stakeholders

Desirable

  • Understanding of the UoS movement 
  • Experience working with refugee, asylum-seeking, or displaced communities 
  • Experience producing written reports or summaries for different audiences 
  •  Familiarity with community or voluntary sector organisations  
  • Experience supporting events or project coordination
Working in this role will help develop the following skills and experience:
  • Analysing
  • Collaboration
  • Creativity
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Flexibility
  • Interpersonal sensitivity
  • Knowledge Sharing
  • Multi-tasking
  • Organisation
  • Planning and organising
  • Research
  • Self-motivation
  • Teamwork
  • Time Management
  • Verbal communication
  • Written communication

If you’d like an informal chat about the role, feel free to get in touch with Martin Walker ([email protected]) or Eleanor Dove ([email protected])

 

 

You are required to submit a cover letter to support your application.

Applications without a cover letter or CV will not be considered, so please ensure your CV and cover letter are tailored to yourself and the role you are applying for. 

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.

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