Vacancy: Postdoctoral Research Fellow – West African security, Western Sahel/Lake Chad Basin Area.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – School of Area Studies, History, Politics and Literature

Research Fellow

Employment type: Fixed-term contract until 31 December 2021

Employment basis: Full-time

Salary: £35,845 – £39,152 per annum 

Post number: ZZ006622

Date published: 08 February 2021
Closing date: 22 February 2021

Interview date: 10 March 2021

The University of Portsmouth is a dynamic and ambitious institution with a track record of success. One of only four universities in the south east of England to achieve a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework and ranked in the top 150 in the Times Higher Young University World Rankings.

The University of Portsmouth is looking for an exceptional candidate to join us as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow specialising in West African security, with a particular focus on the Western Sahel/Lake Chad Basin Area. With support from established academics, you will be responsible for pursuing your own research publications, applying for research funding (both for group projects and individual funding) and promoting the University of Portsmouth at external events. We would particularly welcome applications from candidates with experience of research/working on the intersection of security and development issues in the Western Sahel/Lake Chad regions.

You will work alongside the Principal Investigators to support our work with the ‘The West Africa Peace and Security Network’ (WAPSN). The West Africa Peace and Security Network was established in 2014 by colleagues at University of Portsmouth in collaboration with a team of senior academics across West Africa and beyond. It is one of the most prominent international research networks focused on West African security.

In addition to the above, the post holder will be responsible for raising the University’s profile in the field of peace, conflict and security through our WAPSN activities, organising national and international workshops and summer schools/external training, maintaining our website and social media presence, developing strong working relations with policy makers in the UK, Europe and West Africa and deepening partnerships with academic and civil society organisations in the UK and abroad (especially West Africa).

At the University of Portsmouth, we value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the academic community, and in particular from under-represented groups.

For an informal discussion please contact Dr Ed Stoddard, via email ed.stoddard@port.ac.uk.

It may be possible to apply for this role under the Secondment Policy . If you wish to apply as a secondee, you must have approval of your line manager in advance of submitting your application form. Please confirm in your application that your line manager has approved this.

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and all appointments will be made on merit. As we are committed to the principles of the Race Equality Charter Mark, we would particularly welcome applications from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community who are currently under-represented at this level in this area.

Apply here

Weekly update and resources

  • France will not apologise for colonising Algeria although President Macron believes it was a crime against humanity.

Read more on The Times

  • French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled intention to reduce the 5,100-strong French military force fighting jihadis in the Sahel & sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more on The Financial Times

  • Algerian soldiers fired high-calibre rounds as part of an operation against the persistent threat of Islamist militants

Read more on Africanews.com

  • 300 British troops begin missions in Mali, as part of UN peacekeeping force MINUSMA

Read more on The Independent