Senior Research Associate - Decolonising the Deep Seabed: Countermapping Territory, Heritage and Knowledge

Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is pleased to announce a Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position as part of a Leverhulme Trust-funded project ‘Decolonising the Deep Seabed: Countermapping Territory, Heritage and Knowledge’.

Overview of the role

As a key part of a project managed by Dr John Childs (PI), and Dr Nicola Frith (Co-I), you will carry out research on the deep seabed from a critical, decolonial perspective. In particular, you will have a pivotal role in designing a web-based ‘counter atlas’ of the deep seabed which will privilege, highlight and represent the seabed’s multiple heritages, geographies and worldviews globally. You will also carry out participatory research in rural Papua New Guinea which will, in part, use a photovoice methodology in order to explore deep ocean cosmologies in the region. You will able to relate these findings to other oceanic perspectives including those in Benin, West Africa (the project’s other case study). You will also co-lead the production of academic papers and dissemination outputs. 

You will have completed a PhD in a relevant social science or humanities discipline (for example, Human Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, Development Studies), ideally with a thematic focus on the ocean. You will have an understanding of theoretical and methodological approaches relevant to the project’s themes, including critical ocean studies, decoloniality and/or critical cartography. You will have experience of conducting ethnographic research, ideally in rural parts of the Majority World. You will have an emerging record of published work in relevant journals and have excellent writing and speaking skills in English. We also particularly welcome applications from those who speak languages of relevance to the project’s case studies. Please also note that travel to rural Papua New Guinea for data collection will be required as part of this role.

We welcome applications from people in all diversity groups. We particularly welcome candidates from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, candidates who are in the first generation of their family to go to university, candidates who have been in care or who have been a young carer, female and LGBTQ+ candidates, and candidates from marginalised socioeconomic backgrounds.

How to apply and selection process

To apply please click ‘Apply’ above where you will be able to see the full Job Description and Person Specification of the role. 

Applications should be submitted online. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will take place online in late August (date tbc). The position is available from October 1st 2025, and will run (full-time) for a period of 36 months. 

For informal queries about the role, please contact Dr John Childs at j.childs@lancaster.ac.uk 

Closing Date: 11 Aug 2025

Department: Research

Salary: £39,355 to £45,413 (Full time, indefinite with end date)