BIEA Research Fellowship 2023 for Early-career East African Researchers

British Institute East Africa BIEA Research Fellowship 2022 for Early-career East African Researchers. Apply now!

When is the Application Deadline:

12^th June 2023 by 1700h EAT

Tell Me About BIEA Research Fellowship:

The BIEA seeks to appoint an early career researcher who have successfully completed doctoral studies within the last 5 years (with allowance made for family-related or other relevant career breaks), to fill a number of full-time one-year Research Fellow positions at our research hub in Nairobi, Kenya.

The purpose of the Research Fellowship is, first and foremost, to develop an existing research collaboration that includes at least one UK-based academic and that includes BIEA as a partner. As such, funding is available to host a workshop at the BIEA to bring together a certain number of international collaborators for the purpose of developing a funding application for the research collaboration. This funding proposal must be ready to submit to potential funders by the end of the fellowship.

BIEA Research Fellows are expected to contribute to BIEA activities. The successful candidate will be assigned certain academic / administrative activities for which they will take a strategic lead and responsibility. They will be expected to contribute to the running of, and to participate in, the BIEA’s other activities.

Which Fields are Eligible?

Candidates should work in any discipline of the humanities and social sciences and must be able to demonstrate their research is aligned with one of our six Research Themes:

–             Retelling the Past

–             Changing Environments

–             Urban Lives

–             Technologies of Politics

–             Next Generations

–             Epidemics, pandemics and epizootics

What Type of Scholarship is this?

Fellowship, Research

Who can apply for BIEA Research Fellowship?

In line with Kenyan Government employment policies, we seek to fill this post with a Kenyan Citizen. This is an in-person role, i.e., the successful candidate will be expected to work at the BIEA offices rather than remotely.

Further details:

Key duties of the BIEA Research Fellows, in consultation with the Kenya Country Director, will include:

• Conducting research in his/her own field of specialisation of strategic relevance to the BIEA, including carrying out field work or other research activities, and publishing peer-reviewed and popular outputs (including on our website and social media). A small research budget is available, but candidates are expected to apply for external funding to supplement this. At least one research paper must be submitted to a peer reviewed publication within the course of the year.
• Developing a funding proposal for a research collaboration that includes at least one UK-based academic and that includes BIEA as a partner, that must be submitted during the year to a specified funding organisation.
• Contributing to the academic environment of the BIEA by support visiting researchers and our academic partners with information and advice.
• Encouraging a collegiate and dynamic academic environment by, for example, organizing research seminars and participating in workshops and training programmes being run by the BIEA.
• Overseeing certain aspects of our BIEA activities such as our graduate training programmes and contributing to the production of our Annual Review.
• Representing the BIEA at academic meetings and conferences, and helping the BIEA to develop its networks and partnerships.

Particulars for applicants:

• In line with Kenyan Government employment policies, we seek to fill this post with a Kenyan Citizen.
• Applicants must be available to start on 1^st July 2023. 
• Applicants should have completed a PhD in the last five years (with allowance made for family-related or other relevant career breaks) or be able to demonstrate that they are about to complete a PhD (i.e., the application must include a letter from the PhD supervisor confirming that the applicant has submitted and is awaiting their viva) on a regionally relevant topic within the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences.
• Applicants should be working on a research project that will contribute innovative and policy-relevant scholarship in the humanities and social sciences as they concern Eastern Africa, and Africa more generally.
• Applicants should have excellent English written and oral communication skills.
• Applicants based at a university or other organisation must have secured support from their employer for permission to take up a six-month external post.
• Salary and benefits package are offered at a competitive rate.
• Applications from academics whose research extends beyond the traditional geographical and research focus of the BIEA are particularly encouraged.

Which Countries are Eligible?

Kenya

Where will Award be Taken?

Kenya

What is the Benefit of BIEA Research Fellowship?

In addition to conducting and publishing their own high-impact research, BIEA Research Fellows are expected to contribute to BIEA activities. As such each will be assigned certain academic activities for which they will take a strategic lead and responsibility, and will also be expected to contribute to the running of, and to participate in, the BIEA’s other activities.

How Long will the Program Last?

1 year

How to Apply for BIEA Research Fellowship:

Applications should be submitted to jobs@biea.ac.uk by 1700h EAT on 12^th June 2023. Your application will include a full CV (maximum 2 pages) with details of two references. In addition, the following documents are required:

• An outline of a research collaboration concept that includes at least one UK-based academic and that includes BIEA as a partner. The aims, objectives, output and longer-term objectives of the research should be detailed. A list of collaborators and their host institutions should be included, and possible funding bodies should be mentioned alongside deadlines for funding application submission (1 page). Note: it is expected that candidates have already agreed to the development of the research project with the potential collaborators at the point of application.
• Ideas for contributing to and developing the academic environment of the BIEA (maximum 1 page).

Potential applicants may contact the BIEA’s Acting Country Director, Dr Kennedy Gitu, with any specific questions: kenya.director@biea.ac.uk

Visit Award Webpage for Details