Research Associate and Coordinator – Future Skills Think Tank

The LSA strives for a transformation in how architects and other built environment practitioners can learn to create more equitable and sustainable cities. The school was founded as a radical disrupter of conventional forms of architectural education aimed at widening access to the profession. Now ten years old, the LSA is undergoing an exciting period of growth by expanding its range of innovative academic programmes designed to respond to urgent social and environmental agendas. Our purpose is to devise programmes at all levels that support the re-making of the urban built environment in that context.
We currently offer after-school courses in city making for 13-18 year olds (Part 0), a two- year postgraduate Masters (MArch) in Designing Architecture ARB/RIBA Part 2 and a post-professional programme of short courses for practitioners (Part 4). The next project is to develop a series of new programmes, including at educational levels 4-6 (undergraduate degree equivalent) that specifically privilege green skills and multi- disciplinary thinking and practice in construction, engineering and other built environment disciplines. Our Future Skills Task Force aims to gather rich and wide evidence to inform this strategic next step.
The LSA is seeking a highly competent, creative and collaborative research associate to be a part of our team, leading on and coordinating this work.
THE ROLE
Job Title: Research Associate and Coordinator – Future Skills Think Tank
Role Type: 9 months fixed-term contract
Closing date: Monday 27 May 2024
Interviews: Friday 31 May and Monday 3 June
Salary: £40,000 per annum 0.6 FTE (£18,000 pro-rated 9 months fixed-term contract)
Hours: 3 days per week – 21 hours per week
Download job description here:
WHAT IS THE FUTURE SKILLS THINK TANK?
This year-long research and advocacy project will first define industry need, and then design scalable programmes for green skills in design and construction for young people and career changers from diverse and underrepresented communities in the wider construction industry. The research and resulting new programmes will help to build capacity for the LSA to deliver on its access agenda, and provide an evidence- base for decision-makers across the sector.
The Think Tank is a collaboration between the LSA, University College of Estates management (UCEM) and social impact consultancy, This Is Purpose. It is generously supported by UCEM, the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation (SLDF) and the London Borough of Hackney.
This short commission brings together a range of stakeholders and partners to drive forward the discussion around just transition in the construction industry, addressing equity, learning pathways, procurement and place literacy.
The interconnected focus areas of the project are as follows:
Pathways : We want to understand desirable and viable pathways for underserved and underrepresented young people and career changers in the built environment sector
Standards :
We need to map and audit all existing academic and occupational standards across built environment disciplines from educational levels 3-7, ensure they are fit for purpose for a just transition, and produce evidence to catalyse their review by industry partners and regulators
Industrial strategy : We will adumbrate a progressive industrial strategy for construction and development in line with our vision and mission, and devise the means to understand industrial economic capacity in relation to sector-wide green skills shortages
Procurement : We will explore how to leverage social value, EDI and other procurement criteria to contribute to the sustaining and scaling of programmes we build
Literacy : We want to understand how democratising the language, knowledge and understanding of place can play an impactful role in efforts to engage new publics to the profession; identify cross-sector future skills; improve the effectiveness of learning programmes; and facilitate procuring bodies in their efforts to create more just, equitable, and inclusive processes
Policy : We aspire to influence policy in relation to social mobility and skills opportunities around the following political priorities
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
The LSA is seeking a highly competent, creative and collaborative research associate to be a part of our team, leading on and coordinating this work.
Outline brief and responsibilities:
Recruiting voluntary expert commissioners and manage ongoing liaison
Produce a context document to establish the purpose of the commission
Refine research questions, design appropriate methods, produce and implement a project plan
Convene meetings, roundtables, interviews
Undertake desk-based research
Identify and onboard participants for gathering evidence
Arrange evidence taking sessions and summarise findings
Manage project data and information flows
Liaise with key funders and stakeholders
Produce a concluding project report for the LSA including key recommendations, best practice case studies and summaries of evidence
Manage a budget
Essential skills & experience:
Excellent collaborator and communicator: written, verbal and inter-personal
Confident and rigorous in desk-based and in-person research
Confident in project planning, management and implementation against strict deadlines.
Meticulous in managing project data, information flows and budgets
Assertive in liaising with key funders and stakeholders
Writing and producing reports
Desirable:
Experience in organising events and meetings, aligning diaries and producing minutes
Working knowledge of the built environment industry and education sector
Ability to work flexibly as part of a wider team
Doctoral or Post-doctoral qualifications (or equivalent qualification/experience) in the built environment, social policy, or other cognate areas to the focuses of the project
FULL JOB DESCRIPTIO N
For full information about the role, including core responsibilities and person specification, please download the Job Description here:
READY TO APPLY?
Please provide the following in your application:
An expression of interest with evidence of research capability
A current CV
An extract from a research document, e.g. peer review article, research degree submission/PhD, reports, book chapters etc
Please send this to ##### by the closing date on Monday 27 May (applications close at 11:59pm).
Successful candidates will be invited to an interview on either Friday 31 May or Monday 03 June 2024.
Should you have any questions about this role, please contact #####
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT
The London School of Architecture is committed to being an inclusive employer, building an inclusive workplace and recruiting a workforce as diverse as London’s. However you identify and whatever background you bring with you, we welcome you to apply for a role at The London School of Architecture.
If there are any adjustments that would help support you in your application, please do let us know when you apply. If you are disabled, Evenbreak is able to provide support with your application; for further information, please visit their website here:
Disabled, deaf and/or neurodivergent people and those from Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in our workforce, so we particularly encourage applications from people in these groups.