Research Associate - Digital Innovation & Transformation

Salary: £37,369 to £46,970 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: 28 October 2026

We are excited to offer an opportunity for a Research Associate in Digital Innovation and Transformation to join Newcastle University Business School. Working with Professor Savvas Papagiannidis, you will contribute to research on how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are changing organisations, society and higher education.

You will join a leading business school in the heart of Newcastle, at the gateway to Newcastle Helix. Newcastle University Business School is part of a Russell Group university and holds triple accreditation from AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS. The School brings together a diverse community of researchers, educators, students and external partners with a shared interest in rigorous, relevant research and teaching.

The Opportunity

This two-year, full-time fixed term role sits within a portfolio of research and education activity led by Professor Savvas Papagiannidis. The work focuses on digital transformation and information systems, with particular attention to the adoption, governance and consequences of artificial intelligence, including generative AI. The role offers scope to contribute to research examining how digital technologies reshape organisational strategy, innovation, business models and user experience. You will support the development and delivery of research projects, helping to generate evidence that is useful to academic, policy, practitioner and public audiences. You will also contribute to teaching and learning activity concerned with the effective, responsible and evidence informed use of AI in higher education. This may include supporting the design and evaluation of educational interventions, such as TheoryHub, contributing to teaching materials and producing scholarship of teaching and learning outputs.

Reporting to Professor Savvas Papagiannidis, you will work across research, education and impact activities. You will undertake literature reviews, support case study research and collect, analyse and interpret qualitative or quantitative data. You will help prepare research outputs, including reports, journal papers, conference presentations and materials for non academic audiences. You may contribute to stakeholder engagement with industry partners, policymakers and academic colleagues, helping to translate findings into practical insights, frameworks and recommendations. The role will also involve contributing ideas on research design and methodology, assessing findings to identify opportunities for further investigation, and supporting funding applications and the development of future research proposals.

About You

You will hold a doctorate in a relevant discipline, such as information systems management, business, digital innovation or a closely related field. You will have demonstrable knowledge of technology adoption, diffusion and implementation within digital transformation.

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants who can critically evaluate theories and concepts to develop original research responses. You will be able to analyse research data accurately, draw well supported conclusions and communicate complex ideas clearly to different audiences.

You will bring experience of collaborative research and an ability to manage your own work effectively while contributing to shared project objectives. Experience of presenting at conferences or publishing in high-quality outlets will be valuable, as will an interest in the organisational, societal or educational implications of artificial intelligence.

You will be organised, attentive to detail and comfortable managing competing responsibilities to agreed deadlines. We welcome applicants who value inclusive ways of working, ongoing professional development and collaboration across disciplines and sectors.

Development and Support

Newcastle University is committed to supporting researchers at every career stage through the Researcher Development Concordat. You will have access to mentoring, annual research planning discussions, peer review support for research and innovation funding applications, and pooled funding that supports career development and research activity. The University is committed to a positive research culture that is open, collaborative and sustainable. We support the responsible use of research metrics, guided by expert judgement and inclusive practice. We welcome conversations with prospective applicants and are committed to making the recruitment process accessible. If you require adjustments or additional support during the application process, please let us know.

How To Apply

We want you to feel confident when applying for a position with Newcastle University. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Professor Savvas Papagiannidis at savvas.papagiannidis@ncl.ac.uk.

To apply, please complete the online application form and upload:

•            A current CV

•            A cover letter that explains how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification

What happens next

Once the advert is closed, candidate applications will be reviewed and candidates advised of the outcome as quickly as possible.  We are aiming to hold interviews in early November. 

The Role

Working with Prof Savvas Papagiannidis, you will support a portfolio of research activity in digital transformation and information systems, with particular attention to the organisational, societal and educational implications of artificial intelligence. You will contribute to the development and delivery of projects examining how digital technologies reshape organisational strategy, innovation, business models and user experience. This may include undertaking literature reviews, collecting and analysing qualitative or quantitative data, supporting case-study research, preparing research outputs. A particular emphasis will be placed on research concerning the adoption, governance and consequences of AI, including generative AI, across organisations and wider society. The role will also contribute to teaching and learning projects, especially initiatives exploring the effective, responsible and evidence-informed use of AI in higher education.

You may help design and evaluate educational interventions (such as TheoryHub), support the development of teaching, and contribute to scholarship of teaching and learning outputs resources (e.g. with theory reviews and case studies). Alongside research and educational activity, you will assist with impact-focused work by translating findings for academic, policy, practitioner and public audiences. This could involve preparing briefs and reports, supporting engagement with external partners, contributing to events and communications, and gathering evidence of the reach and significance of research-informed change.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Newcastle University is committed to the responsible use of research metrics as part of our research culture and research strategy. We advocate for the transparent, appropriate, and inclusive use of metrics, guided by expert judgment, to support high-quality, impactful research that is open, collaborative and sustainable. Click here for our full policy statement on the Responsible use of Research Metrics. Click here for a self-study e-learning module on the Responsible Use of Research Metrics.

Key Accountabilities

• Disciplinary knowledge: you should have knowledge of technology adoption and diffusion as well as implementation and management of information systems. Projects are likely to be related to artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies
• Teaching & Learning support: Contribute to the development of teaching materials, and support digital education pedagogic initiatives
• Stakeholder engagement: Collaborate with industry partners, policymakers, and academic peers to facilitate knowledge exchange and drive impactful research outcomes
• Creating impact: Help translate research findings into real-world applications by developing insights, frameworks, and recommendations that support external stakeholders
• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes.
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s).
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project.
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books).
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate.
• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project.
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research.
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations.
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications.
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline.
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable expertise in technology adoption, diffusion, and implementation in digital transformation
• Ability to critically assess and evaluate concepts/theories to develop original research solutions
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems.
• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

• A PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Information Systems Management, Business, Digital Innovation, or related disciplines)

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: 29763