Join our Team. We are hiring multiple Research Assistants.

The Fairwork Project is hiring multiple research assistants (Grade 6: £29,176 – £34,804 p.a.), in fixed-term posts until 28 February 2021 in the first instance, with the possibility of renewal thereafter. 

The deadline to apply for these positions is 12.00 noon on 13 August 2020.

We’re also hiring two postdoctoral researchers – see more here.

About Fairwork 

Fairwork is an action-research project based at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. We research working conditions in the gig economy, in order to develop ‘fairness ratings’ for digital labour platforms like Uber, Helpling and Deliveroo (see examples here). We use these ratings as a lever to improve pay and conditions for platform workers, through media and consumer pressure. 

Fairwork’s programme of action research intends not just to understand the world, but to change it. By bringing workers, platforms, scholars, labour researchers and policymakers to the table, we work to collaboratively develop and embed principles of fair work into the script of the gig economy. Fundamental to the project is a commitment to being participatory and non-hierarchical within our communities: we are all—workers, unions, platforms, regulators, academics—the experts, and we all have co-developed this project. Our ultimate aim is to understand, and counter, some of the forces that disempower gig workers across the world.

Over the past three years, we have mobilized a unique and growing transnational network of social justice minded scholars from over ten countries in pursuit of this planetary goal. In order to effectively advocate for gig workers everywhere, we believe it necessary for our team too to reflect a diversity of backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and more. In growing our team, we value and welcome the unique contributions that applicants can bring in terms of their education, opinions, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, ethnicity, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, religion, disability, and beliefs. We actively strive to build and nurture a culture of empathy, inclusiveness, and respect.

About the Research Assistant(s)

The ideal candidate(s) will have: 

• A first degree and sufficient specialist knowledge to work effectively with the Fairwork team;
• Ability to manage own research and administrative activities; and
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write text that can be published, and to represent the research group at meetings.

See details of essential and desirable applicant criteria in the full job description. 

We explicitly welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they would thrive in this role even if they do not have previous experience in a research team. 

Structure and Primary Responsibilities

As the successful candidate for the position of Research Assistant, you will be based at Fairwork Foundation within the Oxford Internet Institute. You will be a core part of a team led by Professor Mark Graham, and will play a key role in both conducting research and guiding the Fairwork partners in the research that they conduct. The primary aims of this position will be to:

• Assist the larger team in the research that they are conducting with platform workers and platform managers about job quality on digital labour platforms; 
• Use that research as part of the Fairwork Foundation’s action research strategies to leverage change in the gig economy; 
• Play a coordination role with some of the project’s international partners; and 
• Assist the team in preparing and disseminating publications, talks, and other forms of research outputs. 

Duration and Deadline

The Research Assistant post is fixed-term until 28 February 2021 in the first instance, with the possibility of renewal thereafter. 

Only online applications received before 12.00 noon on 13 August 2020 will be considered for this position. Interviews for those shortlisted will take place on 25 August 2020. 

Learn more about and apply for the Research Assistant position. 

Contact

If you have any questions about this role, please email info@fair.work. 

 

The Fairwork project endorses the wider call from the Oxford Internet Institute community to advance anti-racist initiatives in higher education. We commit to upholding the values it espouses in our recruitment processes, to the best of our capacities.