Fieldwork Research Associate

Salary: £35,608 to £37,694 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 05 March 2026

The Role

The Ecologies of Governance project interrogates the emergence of inequality and the economic basis of rulership in early medieval, kin-based societies by undertaking multi-proxy and comparative analyses of the environment and agrarian regimes of some of the major and iconic royal landscapes of first millennium AD Britain and Ireland.

As Fieldwork Research Associate you will be a highly productive, ambitious and collaborative member of the Ecologies of Governance team. Based in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology (HCA) at Newcastle University, you will collaborate with all members of the project team, including those based at Queen’s University Belfast and Cardiff University. You will carry out research on case study royal landscapes that form the focus of the project, with primary responsibility for designing and delivering the programme of archaeological fieldwork. This will include development of the project GIS, geospatial analysis, remote sensing, and targeted excavation, in order to detail the evolution of early medieval sites and landscapes. You will oversee the day-to-day management of fieldwork elements in the project’s work packages, related collaboration, and outreach. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of working independently to deliver programmes of archaeological fieldwork, and expertise in geophysical and topographic survey and excavation. A research profile in early medieval archaeology, appropriate to career stage, is considered desirable but is not essential.

The project is hosted in the School of History, Classics & Archaeology, which has a vibrant and active research culture with particular strengths in interdisciplinary working and supporting the holistic career development of early career colleagues.

The successful candidate will be provided with academic and pastoral support within the School, and training will be provided to develop their competences. You will also benefit from access to the School’s mentoring scheme and extensive training opportunities including a bespoke personal development plan, and peer support from a cross disciplinary cohort of talented postdoctoral and early career researchers, as well as access to fieldwork equipment and software. Newcastle University is a signatory to the Concordat to support researchers’ career development which entitles researchers up to 10 days of personal CPD activities annually.

For more information about the school please visit our website: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/hca/about/

This post is a (maximum) 30-month fixed term full-time appointment. The successful candidate will start work as soon as possible after 7th May 2026. Flexible working requests are welcome, but the postholder must be willing to travel for fieldwork and other research/engagement activities as part of the project.

Applicants with minority and/or host community backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Should the successful applicant require a UK Visa for this role, they will be eligible to apply under the Endorsed Funder Route of the Global Talent Visa. The University will support the applicant through this process.

To apply, please upload an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining how you meet the essential job criteria. 

Key Accountabilities

•    Design and deliver archaeological fieldwork surveys, including geophysical and topographic investigation on each case study landscape, across the project’s work packages
•    Plan and lead the targeted excavation of features within the case study landscapes, and deliver the programme of data collection and post-excavation
•    Carry out geospatial analysis across the case study landscapes, and develop a comprehensive project GIS into which fieldwork results and other datasets will be integrated
•    Undertake advanced integration and analysis of results within wider project datasets
•    Carry out analyses, critical evaluations, and interpretations of existing datasets, and to review and synthesise existing literature within relevant fields
•    Produce high-quality research outputs consistent with project aims and commensurate with career stage. This will include collaborating and co-authoring with Project Lead, Co-Leads and partners (as appropriate) on outputs
•    In consultation with the project team, promote research milestones and outputs at national and international conferences and through social media (where applicable)
•    Assist in the preparation of discrete funding proposals and applications to external bodies as appropriate
•    Engage and advise heritage stakeholders on access, data collection and results of same
•    Undertake supplementary duties relevant to the success of the project, including administrative duties and additional training and development activities as required

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 
•    Proven track record of working independently to deliver programmes of archaeological fieldwork
•    Technical expertise in geophysical and topographic survey, and experience of leading data collection, processing, and analysis of same techniques
•    Experience of independently conducting archaeological excavations, including examples of leadership in planning, data collection, analysis, and post-excavation
•    Technical expertise in geospatial analyses, and experience of developing comprehensive GIS databases
•    Proven ability to publish in national/international journals (commensurate with stage of career)
•    Ability to work effectively as part of a research team in the development and promotion of the research project and its findings
•    Ability to communicate complex information in English effectively in oral and written format
•    Track record of practical problem-solving, independence of thought and initiative
•    Ability to build relationships to develop internal and external networks

Attributes and Behaviour
•    Willingness to work with the Project Lead and Co-Leads as part of a strong and integrated team
•    Willingness to contribute to broader management and administrative processes
•    Willingness to contribute to the project outreach programme by developing links with industry, community groups etc
•    Commitment to continuous professional development
•    Willingness to travel and spend periods working away from home

Qualifications
•    PhD in Archaeology or a related discipline in hand at the time of application

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29087