Job description

King's College London is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct and publish original research and analysis of current and emerging Joint Professional Military Education (JPME). The successful candidate will play an important role in taking forward this research as part of King’s new Command and Staff Academic Provision contract award at the Defence Academy of the UK and will work with King’s School of Security Studies and the Defence Academy’s Centre for Defence Education Research and Analysis (CDERA). The role will involve close co-operation with the Head of the Defence Studies Department, the Director of King’s Institute for Applied Security Studies (KIASS) and the Head of KIASS Online to co-ordinate KIASS’s research and capacity building activity relating to JPME. 

The postholder should have a PhD in a topic relevant to current and future JPME, professional education and learning technology, and strategy and leadership education.  Strong applications from candidates with PhDs in professional education more broadly, or non-JPME topics within the wider field of strategic studies, will also be considered. 

The Defence Studies Department is part of the School of Security Studies and the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy at King’s. Together, we support an inclusive culture and diversity for our staff and students. We are committed to encourage further growth from diverse groups, and we look forward to welcoming applicants of all abilities, whom we are able to support with our flexible varied working practices. 

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract until August 2025.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct and publish original research on contemporary/future JPME as agreed between KIASS and CDERA.  
• Contribute to the maintenance and establishment of a track record of high-quality publications arising from JPME reflective practice. 
• Contribute to the management of research into contemporary and future DSPE requirements contributing directly to CDERA research outputs. 
• Engage with a range of key stakeholders in the UK and abroad to maximise synergies within the study and analysis of JPME best practice in the design and delivery of education. 
• Contribute to JPME teaching undertaken by the Defence Studies Department. 
• Contribute to providing a range of opportunities for developing education in JPME particularly in the field of postgraduate research, with the aim of developing sustainable academic and professional community of practice; 
• Identify and pursue opportunities to secure external funding in support of the research activities of KIASS and CDERA and from a wide range of potential stakeholders; 
• Attend, and as appropriate, present research findings and papers at internal meetings and external professional conferences, to contribute to the internal and external visibility of KIASS and CDERA. 
• Work as a conscientious and committed member of the team in order to achieve the aims of the projects. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the postholder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. 

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria  

1.       Degree in relevant subject 

2.       PhD in relevant subject. Please note that this is a post-doctoral role and requires a PhD. Candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhD pending a viva examination may be considered. Candidates who have not submitted their dissertation for examination will not be considered. 

3.       Knowledge of JPME, military doctrine and concepts and associated relevant subject matters, including, but not confined to: learning and andragogy, technology enhanced learning, innovation and experimentation, skills and behavioural development, widening participation in professional education, neurodiversity and professional education, international benchmarking, JPME best practice, application of doctrine into training and education, human-AI-machine learning interfaces and leading change. 

4.       Experience of teaching in an HEI. 

5.       Excellent presentational skills. 

6.       Experience in producing research in the JPME and doctrine related contemporary topics and in the broader field of strategic studies.  

7.       Desire to promote the subject at all levels. 

Desirable criteria

1.       Experience in managing projects with international stakeholders and international organisations.  

2.       Project management experience and the ability to manage administrative tasks and processes.  

3.       Proven ability to utilise quantitative and statistical research tools. 

4.       Experience in organising research workshops outside the UK.  

5.       Experience in implementing professional education capacity building activity. 

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6. 

Further information

The selection process will include a criteria based shortlisting process and panel based interview. 

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role please contact: Dr Kate Utting,   kate.utting@kcl.ac.uk or Prof Niall Barr   niall.barr@kcl.ac.uk