Social Statistics & Demography

Location:  Highfield Campus
Salary:   £34,314 to £41,931 Per Annum
Full Time Fixed Term - 31/08/2025
Closing Date:  Thursday 22 June 2023
Interview Date:   To be confirmed
Reference:  2304023CC

Research Fellow in Understanding Changes in Intergenerational Co-residence and Household Formation Among Young Adults

ESRC Connecting Generations, University of Southampton - Research Fellow

Social Statistics and Demography

We are delighted to welcome applications for a research position investigating the changing dynamics of young adult’s living arrangements, including leaving and returning the parental home, house sharing and first partnership formation, within the ESRC funded ‘Connecting Generations’ centre. 

Connecting Generations is a collaborative project between the long-established Centre for Population Change (University of Southampton, University of St Andrews, and University of Stirling), the University of Oxford Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, and the Resolution Foundation.  Connecting Generations aims to innovate in knowledge and understanding of intergenerational relations and population change. The Centre is led by Professor Jane Falkingham.

This project will examine trends in the timing of leaving the parental home and in the living arrangements of young adults, their explanations and policy implications. In particular, the postholder will consider the role of parental and other family resources in facilitating successful transitions in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and continuing economic uncertainty. A variety of data sources including individual level data from the 2021 Census, Millennium Cohort Study, and UK Gender and Generations Survey will be used.

This research position will be based in the Department of Social Statistics and Demography, within the Faculty of Social Sciences. You will work under the day-to-day direction of Professor Ann Berrington. You will be part of a supportive group including the Centre Research Manager, and other researchers working on similar themes, both within Southampton and partner institutions.  

To be successful in this role you will have, or will be close to completing, a PhD (or equivalent professional qualifications) with a strong statistical data analysis component . You should have proven experience of using large and complex datasets, ideally including the UK Birth Cohort Studies or UK Census Microdata. It is essential that the postholder already has a good knowledge of the sociological and demographic literature relating to the changing nature of transition to adulthood and household formation among young adults. Proficiency in the use of STATA; the ability to plan and organise work independently and as part of a team; and write research presentations and papers are also essential attributes. 

Applications will be considered from candidates who are nearing completion of a PhD in Economics.  The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon completion of PhD.  Prior to the PhD qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

The University of Southampton holds an Athena SWAN Silver Award demonstrating commitment to equal opportunities in the workplace.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof. Ann Berrington, email: a.berrington@soton.ac.uk, telephone: +44 (0)23 8059 4549.

The post is available from 1 September 2023 with the latest start date being 1 November 2023. 

The application deadline is midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need assistance, call Recruitment on  +44 (0) 23 8059 2750, or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk. Quote the advert reference on all correspondence.