School of Computer Science and Engineering, Bangor University
Research Assistant (20% FTE)
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Job Number
BU04077
School/Department
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Grade
6
Salary Information
Grade 6: £31,236 p.a. pro rata.
Contract Duration
6 months
Responsible to
Project Manager
Closing Date
20-08-2026
Applications are invited for an innovative, fixed-term (6 months) part-time (7.25 hours per week) position working with Bangor University's School of Arts, Culture and Language in collaboration with colleagues from Public Map, a project that works with communities to reveal local need, support evidence-based action, and shape better futures (https://publicmap.org/en). The post focuses on the role of the Welsh language as part of this engagement with communities in Wales.
Are you passionate about engaging with communities about what matters to them, in the language that they feel at home in? This role offers a unique opportunity to make a difference by highlighting the significance and effects of language choice, with relevance to heritage, place attachment, identity and belonging.
In this exciting position, you'll collaborate with leading academics in the field as well as a variety of stakeholders to develop, systematise and refine insights gained in the project around the use of language, building on several years of Public Map work but extending the research agenda as well as identifying ways of measuring impact. The project will develop dynamically and you will be encouraged to bring in your own experience and perspective to enhance and inform the scope of activities during this short-term employment.
The ideal candidate will bring creativity, community engagement and co-creation experience, applying their skills in working with stakeholders and Public Map staff to identify feasible ways of capturing insights on, and impacts of, the role of Welsh in relation to Public Map activities. Communicative skills and in-depth insights about the Welsh language will be as important as a clear grasp of associated research, experience with social science research methods, and a systematic approach to analyse language and language-relevant data.
Candidate Requirements
Essential:
- Educated at least to an undergraduate degree standard (or equivalent) in social sciences, linguistics with a focus on communication and discourse, language policy and planning, or a related field.
- Fluency in Welsh.
- Experience with community engagement and co-creation.
- Experience with social science research methods.
Desirable:
- In-depth understanding of controversies around the Welsh language, including lived experience if relevant.
- Experience in stakeholder engagement.
- Experience in knowledge transfer between academic and community environments.
- Project management skills.
- Ability to adapt to evolving project requirements and work flexibly across academic and non-academic contexts.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload, manage deadlines, and work independently as well as part of a distributed team.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex information into actionable insights.
Duties and Responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Rapid literature review: Desk-based research to consolidate insights relevant to the scope of this project to date, produced both within and independent of Public Map.
- Collaborative Co-Design: Work closely with Bangor University supervisor, Public Map staff, and stakeholders to agree on activities as outlined above.
- Analysis and Action: Systematically record and analyse the contributions from various events and meetings held to co-develop the research agenda and capture impact. Pursue next steps as collaboratively agreed and derived from the insights gained.
- Project Communication and Reporting: Provide regular progress updates to the project team; prepare and deliver presentations to academic and non-academic audiences; maintain thorough documentation of methodologies and datasets; contribute to publications and dissemination activities.
- Project Management: Support the monitoring of project progress against project goals; help identify and address operational risks; coordinate tasks between university and partners; support timely delivery of project objectives.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain effective communication with all stakeholders; translate complex scientific concepts into clear, non-technical language; foster strong relationships to support and establish collaboration and trust beyond the duration of the project.
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Other Duties and Responsibilities
- The post holder will be expected to participate in job-relevant developmental activities offered by the University.
- The post holder will be expected to comply with the University’s equality policies and statements, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
- The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
- The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post.
Purpose of the Job
The post is part of a collaborative research effort highlighting the significance of Welsh language practices in community contexts. Planned work includes further engagement with Public Map staff, communities and stakeholders (such as language promoting agencies) to identify, develop and implement next steps on this journey of discovery.
The Post Holder Will Be Responsible For Co-creating And Supporting Activities That May Include, But Won’t Be Limited To, The Following:
- Co-develop a use case with a language promoting organisation on how to encourage Welsh language speaking in relation to Public Map activities and assets. What question would a partner pose that Public Map can answer? Support development of that service.
- Measure impact of ‘Working with Welsh’ in the staff team.
- Measure impact on communities regarding language use or awareness of Welsh through Public Map activities.
- Support local schools in mapping places where Welsh is spoken.
- Support development of a research study on how Welsh enables a different perspective and understanding of nature and culture, facilitated by the mechanisms of Public Map.
- Connect with Public Map staff to consider further activities within the scope of this project.
The Project
Building on our collaborative research through the Public Map that demonstrates the significance of the Welsh language across its activities and areas of community engagement, the post will consolidate insights, capture impact, develop use cases, and identify future pathways for research.
Findings gathered across Public Map activities highlight the key role of Welsh in fostering emotional expression, strengthening connections to place, and reinforcing local identity (see https://publicmap.org/en/news/report-the-role-of-welsh-in-public-map/). In informal, creative contexts facilitated by Public Map, participants used Welsh naturally to describe their environment, often framing it in terms of home, beauty, and peace. This supports theories of place attachment, suggesting that language is closely tied to how individuals experience and relate to their surroundings. The Public Map experience demonstrates the ways in which the Welsh language relates to a strong sense of belonging and care for the local environment.
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However, there is also a notable gap between linguistic ability and language choice. Even in contexts where participants reported being able to speak Welsh, English tended to be preferred for more formal aspects, such as surveys. This observation is in line with broader sociolinguistic patterns in Wales, where confidence, social norms, and institutional expectations influence language use. The research further demonstrates the importance of staff language practices. Participants tended to mirror the language used by facilitators: when activities were led in Welsh, Welsh was maintained; when English was introduced, participants responded in English. Increased staff confidence and the intentional use of bilingual approaches in later stages of the project led to greater visibility and use of Welsh, suggesting that leading in Welsh while providing bilingual support can balance inclusion with language promotion. In the context of demographic change and in-migration, tensions between inclusion and exclusion are inevitable in relation to language choice, requiring sensitivity and adaptability to situation-specific demands.
Overall, the Public Map experience demonstrates how Welsh is not just a means of communication but a key cultural and emotional resource that shapes community engagement, identity, and connections to place. To support its sustainability, this emphasises the need to integrate linguistic considerations from the outset in community projects, ensuring that Welsh is promoted in inclusive, supportive ways that enable participation for both speakers and non-speakers alike.
Application Details
Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.
Closing date for applications: 20 August 2026
Informal enquiries can be made by contacting: Professor Thora Tenbrink, Professor of Linguistics, School of Arts, Culture and Language, t.tenbrink@bangor.ac.uk
Committed To Equal Opportunities
The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.
We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture.
The University has recently achieved a Race Equality Charter Bronze award reflecting our commitment to building an
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