University of Bristol Seeks a Senior Research Associate in Digital Politics and Data Systems

Researchers and data specialists interested in political science, democracy studies, and computational social research have an exciting opportunity to join the University of Bristol as a Senior Research Associate in Digital Politics and Data Systems.

The position forms part of the prestigious European Research Council (ERC)-funded Political Parties in Africa and Democracy (PPADEM) project, one of the largest empirical studies of political parties ever conducted across the African continent.

Based within the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) and working in collaboration with the Jean Golding Institute for Data and AI, the successful candidate will contribute to cutting-edge interdisciplinary research examining how political parties influence democratic development, governance, and political change across Africa.

About the PPADEM Project

The Political Parties in Africa and Democracy (PPADEM) project is an ambitious international research initiative investigating the role political parties play in democratic progress and democratic decline across African countries.

Funded by the European Research Council, the project combines expertise from political science, data science, and digital research methodologies to generate one of the most comprehensive datasets ever assembled on African political parties.

The research seeks to answer critical questions about:

Democratic governance across Africa.
Electoral competition and political participation.
Political party organization and behavior.
Digital political communication.
Social media and political engagement.
Democratic resilience and backsliding.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative international team of political scientists and data scientists dedicated to producing impactful, policy-relevant research.

About the Senior Research Associate Role

The Senior Research Associate will play a leading role in building and managing large-scale digital infrastructure that supports the project’s extensive data collection and analysis requirements.

The position offers an excellent opportunity for candidates with expertise in computational social science, data engineering, political data analysis, or digital research systems.

Key responsibilities include:

Designing and maintaining automated data pipelines.
Collecting, cleaning, and managing large-scale datasets.
Extracting and analyzing information from social media platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Managing political, electoral, and governance datasets.
Developing scalable data warehouse solutions.
Supporting cross-country comparative political analysis.
Ensuring compliance with GDPR and ethical research standards.
Implementing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles.
Producing technical documentation and research workflows.
Supporting interdisciplinary collaboration between political scientists and data scientists.

The successful candidate will also contribute to academic publications, technical reports, and innovative computational research outputs.

Required Skills and Qualifications

The University of Bristol is seeking candidates with strong technical expertise and a passion for interdisciplinary research.

Applicants should demonstrate experience in:

Data-intensive research environments.
Computational social science.
Data engineering and infrastructure development.
Automated data collection and management systems.
Research workflow development.
Database design and management.

Candidates should possess proficiency in one or more of the following:

Python
R
SQL
Apache Spark
Related data engineering technologies

The university is particularly interested in individuals who can communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and work effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

Desirable Experience

While not essential, the following experience would strengthen an application:

Social media data analysis.
Political science or democracy research.
Higher education research projects.
Research governance and ethics.
FAIR data principles implementation.
Data security and compliance management.
Interdisciplinary research collaboration.
Teaching or postgraduate supervision experience.

The role is especially suitable for researchers interested in combining advanced computational methods with real-world political and social challenges.

Salary and Benefits

The University of Bristol offers a competitive salary package and access to one of the United Kingdom’s leading research environments.

Successful candidates will receive:

Salary between £43,482 and £50,253 per annum.
Full-time employment.
Access to world-class research facilities.
Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Professional development and training opportunities.
Engagement with internationally recognized scholars and researchers.
Potential opportunities for postgraduate teaching and supervision.

Contract Details

Position: Senior Research Associate in Digital Politics and Data Systems

Institution: University of Bristol

Department: School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS)

Research Project: Political Parties in Africa and Democracy (PPADEM)

Contract Type: Open-ended with fixed funding

Contract Duration: 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2028

Salary: £43,482 – £50,253 per annum

Location: Bristol, United Kingdom

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

As digital technologies increasingly shape democratic processes around the world, researchers capable of combining data science expertise with political analysis are in high demand. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of technology, democracy, governance, and African politics while contributing to one of the most significant research projects currently examining political parties across the continent.

For candidates interested in computational political science, digital democracy research, big data analytics, and African governance studies, this position provides a platform to contribute to globally relevant research with real-world policy implications.

Application Deadline

Interested applicants should submit their applications through the University of Bristol’s official recruitment system.

Closing Date: 30 June 2026 (23:59 UK Time)

Shortlisting: Week commencing 6 July 2026

Early applications are strongly encouraged.

Final Thoughts

The University of Bristol’s Senior Research Associate position offers a rare opportunity to combine advanced data science skills with impactful political research focused on Africa’s democratic future.

Through collaboration with leading researchers from SPAIS and the Jean Golding Institute for Data and AI, the successful candidate will help shape one of the most ambitious studies of political parties and democracy ever undertaken on the African continent.

APPLY HERE

Submit your application through the University of Bristol Careers Portal before 30 June 2026 (23:59 UK Time).

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding