Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Job title: Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Department: Economics

Contract Type: Two year, Fixed term contract  

Grade: 7

Salary: £43,297.57 to £ 50,562.57 Inclusive of London Allowance

Location: Bloomsbury, Camden, Greater London, United Kingdom

Hours: 35

SOAS University of London is the leading Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East.  SOAS University of London is positioned to play a leading role in reimagining higher education globally, with a new strategic plan in place as the basis for the renewal and revitalisation of the School which commits SOAS to both student responsiveness and research intensity. SOAS is moving towards a new model of international partnerships which is responsive to the transnational character of our global challenges.

About the Role:

The Critical Research on Industrial Livestock Systems (CRILS) Network aims to connect academics with practitioners (a broad term for non-academic collaborators - civil society and NGOs, activists and artists, investigative journalists, food systems workers, legal scholars, policymakers etc) to develop a critique of the drivers and negative externalities of industrial animal agriculture.

The CRILS Network Post Doctoral Research Fellow will deliver online and in-person workshops, convene thematic Working Groups (WG) to advance methodological approaches, and strengthen local networks with the overarching intention of facilitating challenging discussions, sharing research resources (data, expertise, analysis, theories), and building an interdisciplinary evidence base. The job holder will oversee all CRILS activities and communications, apply for further funding, and launch and participate in the CRILS Working Groups.

The position offers you the opportunity to develop their own research portfolio in line with CRILS research agenda while working with leading experts in industrial livestock systems. Research could focus on topics such as, but not limited to, the mechanisms of corporate concentration and financialisation of livestock production, labour movements in globalised industrial animal value chains, the political economy and/or ecology of the expansion of industrial animal agriculture in Global South contexts.

Over a two-year period, the research fellow will:

•           Lead the delivery of two in-person workshops (spring 2026 and 2027)

•           Facilitate collaborators to deliver online workshops annually (see www.crils.org for example of such workshops)

•           Manage and participate in two Working Groups under supervision of the WG expert leads, including submission of research outputs to a peer review journal and other platforms

•           Conduct ongoing network research into prominent academics and practitioners engaged in a critique of industrial animal agriculture

•           Manage CRILS communications (written, online, in-person, and website)

•           Attend relevant events, conferences and workshops to represent the CRILS Network

•           Apply for grant funding to continue CRILS activities

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and creative early career researcher to develop research expertise in political economy, political ecology, human geography, critical public health or similar disciplines, as well as project management skills.

About the Department:

You will work under the supervision of Dr Mehroosh Tak and will be based in the Economics department at SOAS and will benefit from exposure to the wealth of economics, agrarian change and food systems expertise held at the SOAS.

About you:

The role is a mix of academic research - for which the post holder will be expected to conduct interdisciplinary research as part of an international and multi-sectoral team - and network and events organisation - for which you will be expected to deliver online and in-person events to a high standard and motivate a diverse network of actors to contribute to and participate in CRILS activities.  

Experience in writing and translating research for a wide audience is essential, as is knowledge of critical food systems literature and agricultural policy or political economy, especially of the global South. A core focus of CRILS is sharing research in a constructive and discursive setting to ensure that research is relevant, useful and responsive to the situation on the ground, so while this is an academic post, it suits someone with an interest in or experience of policy, campaigns, and public engagement. The researcher should be enthusiastic, proactive and highly motivated, with excellent organisational and interpersonal skills.

Informal inquiries are encouraged. Please email Yannis Dafermos yd6@soas.ac.uk

To learn more about the project please visit https://www.crils.org.       

You can find further information on the key criteria for the role in the Job Description and Person Specification, along with a full list of duties and responsibilities, which can be found on the SOAS website

How to Apply: 

Please complete the online application form and upload your CV and a supporting statement. 

Closing date: 29th October 2025 at 11:59 p.m.                                      

Interviews to be held: 14th November 2025

Further information

Successful candidates will need to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK or have limited leave to remain in the UK and associated right to work for the duration of their employment with SOAS, in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

We may be able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.

If you have any questions or require any assistance with regard to the application process, please contact us via the HR Contact Form | SOAS

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