Research Fellow in Anti-Autocratic Messaging (UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

The Opportunity

We are seeking an ambitious and intellectually curious Research Fellow to join NEWREPUBLIC, a major research programme funded by the European Research Council. The project explores two pressing questions shaping global politics today: what ideas drive resistance to autocratic rule, and how effective are these ideas when used as persuasive and mobilising messages?

As Research Fellow in Anti-Autocratic Messaging, you will be a core member of the NEWREPUBLIC team, working closely with the Principal Investigator, two doctoral researchers, and a project officer. Your work will be central to the project’s success—from research design and data collection through to publication, policy engagement, and future agenda-setting.

What You Will Do

In this role, you will:

• Co-design and implement nationally representative surveys in three African countries, each incorporating survey experiments focused on political messaging.
• Lead and contribute to advanced quantitative analysis of public opinion and experimental data.
• Co-author articles for submission to leading peer-reviewed journals in political science.
• Help translate academic findings into real-world impact through policy briefings, workshops, and public-facing outputs.
• Present research at international conferences and co-organise seminars and events for academic and non-academic audiences.
• Contribute to the development of follow-on research projects and funding applications, helping to build a long-term research agenda beyond the life of NEWREPUBLIC.
• You will have genuine scope to shape the direction of the project and to develop your own scholarly profile within it.

About You

This position is well suited to an early-career researcher who intends to make the study of anti-autocratic ideas and messaging a central part of their academic trajectory.

Essential criteria:

• A completed PhD in political science or a closely related discipline.
• A publication record appropriate to career stage in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong skills in quantitative research methods, particularly survey experiments and public opinion analysis.
• Substantive expertise in political messaging, political behaviour, discourse analysis, or ideology.

Desirable experience:

• Knowledge of African politics, democratic backsliding, autocratic regimes, or resistance movements.
• Experience presenting research at conferences and engaging non-academic audiences.
• Involvement in grant writing or research funding applications.
• Experience supporting or coordinating research teams, including mentoring junior researchers.

Your Research Environment

NEWREPUBLIC is based in the Department of Politics at the University of Sussex. The department is home to internationally recognised research centres, including the Centre for the Study of Corruption and the Sussex European Institute, and maintains close links with the Institute of Development Studies, consistently ranked among the world’s leading institutions for development research.

You will benefit from a vibrant interdisciplinary environment, strong institutional support for early-career researchers, and tailored professional development through the Sussex Researcher School.

Why Join the University of Sussex?

The University of Sussex is a research-intensive, globally connected institution located at the edge of the South Downs National Park. Our campus combines excellent facilities with strong transport links, including a mainline train station and extensive cycling infrastructure.

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our employment practices align with UK government guidance on fair recruitment, research integrity, and inclusive workplaces.

Relevant external guidance and frameworks include:

UK Home Office – Skilled Worker Visa guidance: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Equality Act 2010 (UK Government): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Practical Information

• Closing date: 28 January 2026 (15:59 UK time)
• Expected interviews: Week commencing 2 March 2026
• Expected start date: July 2026

This role meets the salary and occupational criteria for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship at the appropriate grade when appointed full-time.

To apply, please submit:

• A cover letter (maximum two pages)
• A current CV
• A writing sample (up to 10,000 words)