Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher, Cork University Business School, Centre For Co-Operative Studies

42 Months, Fixed-Term, Part-Time Post, 0.4FTE

Position Summary

Applications are invited for the role of Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Centre for Co-Operative Studies within Cork University Business School. 

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Postdoctoral Researcher with strong qualitative research and project management skills to work on the DICES project (Driving Inclusive Care: Economic democracy and social economy).

Funded under Horizon Europe, DICES is a four-year project. It is conducted in collaboration with institutional partners in six European countries.

DICES project aims:

• to enhance understanding of Europe's social economy and to identify factors driving its uneven development;
• evaluate the role of social economy organisations in addressing social exclusion and improving services and workplaces.

DICES project recommends policy measures and governance frameworks to unlock the social economy's potential, including strategies for identifying and promoting best practice. The project has a strong focus on the social economy in the context of care, including care work, care services and related initiatives.

 As one of nine partners, UCC is contributing to a number of key deliverables on the project, including:

• an evaluation of conditions for the development of social economy initiatives in the care sector;
• assessment of organisational democracy, job quality and working conditions in the social economy;
• identifying approaches to social inclusion in ‘left-behind’ places;
• engaging with stakeholders to co-design pilot initiatives.

The appointee will work closely with colleagues on the UCC academic team to undertake desk-based research and qualitative research.  Desk-based research will focus on analysis and synthesis of policy and regulatory frameworks and identification of organisations and initiatives in the social economy care sector.  

The appointee will engage in stakeholder consultations and primary data collection through interviews and in-depth case studies and will facilitate co-design workshops for development of a pilot action.  This will require building collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders, including civil society, local development and social economy organisations. 

The appointee will have a key role in qualitative data analysis, writing up case studies and contributing to a range of outputs, including working papers and academic publications.  The completion of work tasks to a high standard within prescribed time frames will be critical to the success of the project. 

The post will be based in the CCS and the appointee will be part of the UCC DICES project team, which includes staff affiliated with the CCS and ISS21 (Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century).

Please note that this is a part-time (40%) post (averaging 2 days per week).  Flexibility will be required to meet the requirements of the project. 

The successful applicant must be available to start in June 2025. 

Interviews (online) for shortlisted applicants are likely to be held mid-May 2025.

Project Title: Driving inclusive care: economic democracy and social economy (DICES)

Post Duration:  42 Months, Part-time post

Salary: €53,770 - €56,855 per annum (IUA PD2), pro rata 0.4FTE