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

Job Description

Overview of the Role

The NEWREPUBLIC project, supported by the European Research Council, is launching an ambitious research agenda exploring how anti-autocratic ideas shape public attitudes and mobilise democratic action. As the Research Fellow, you will join a collaborative team led by the Principal Investigator and will work closely with two doctoral researchers and a project officer.

Your main responsibilities include designing, implementing and analysing three nationally representative surveys across three African countries—each incorporating embedded survey experiments. Beyond data analysis, you will participate in drafting high-quality academic publications, presenting findings at conferences, and contributing to policy-oriented outputs.

This role offers significant space for intellectual leadership and long-term research development. You will actively shape the project’s evolution, help build an extended research agenda, and co-develop future funding proposals.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate on the design, placement and statistical analysis of international survey experiments.
• Co-author scholarly articles targeted at top-tier political science journals.
• Help translate academic insights into real-world impact through policy seminars, workshops and public-facing activities.
• Contribute to long-term research planning and development of follow-on funding bids.
• Present findings at major academic conferences and professional meetings.

About the Research Environment

You will be based in the Department of Politics at the University of Sussex, home to the internationally recognised Centre for the Study of Corruption and closely connected to the Institute of Development Studies, which consistently ranks first worldwide for development studies.

Researchers benefit from the Sussex Researcher School, offering structured support for early-career scholars, training opportunities and career development pathways.

Candidate Profile

Essential Qualifications & Expertise

A PhD in political science or a closely related social science discipline.

A publication record appropriate to career stage, demonstrating advanced quantitative research skills.

Strong expertise in survey experiments and public opinion research.

Knowledge in at least one of the following: political messaging, political behaviour, discourse or ideology analysis.

Desirable Experience

• Engagement in public outreach, conference presentations or previous funding applications.
• Background in African politics, autocratic systems, democratic resilience or anti-autocratic movements.
• Experience in research coordination, teaching, supervision or mentoring.

About the School

The Department of Politics is a research-active community with approximately 600 students and faculty working across comparative politics, corruption, party politics, democratic challenges and migration. The department performed strongly in the most recent REF assessment, with 96% of research outputs rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

Working at Sussex

The University of Sussex sits within the scenic South Downs National Park, about a five-minute walk from Falmer Station. Staff benefit from good public transport links, cycling routes, and a cycle-to-work scheme. Sussex is an internationally recognised research institution committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.