Maggie O'Neill

The University College Cork invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Researcher position in the EUROBORDERWALKS project, part of the Collective Social Futures and Department of Sociology & Criminology. This interdisciplinary, inter-institutional research is funded by a Research Ireland Advanced Laureate grant and aims to address major challenges in critical border studies and the mobilities field. The project focuses on ethnographic, biographical, visual, and relational research at the edges of the European Union, specifically examining the meaning, experience, and practice of borders and their implications for European policy and education. The successful candidate will join a team led by Professor Maggie O'Neill at University College Cork, collaborating with academic partners at the University of Lodz and University of Zagreb. The research will produce a biography of three significant borders: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Poland and Ukraine. Using walking biographical interviews, narrative interviews, arts-based workshops, and artist commissions, the project will contribute to critical border studies, mobilities, and European policy and education. The Post-Doctoral Researcher will play a leadership role in translating research findings into accessible policy briefings and developing a curriculum for second level education across multiple jurisdictions. Outputs include policy reports, briefings, exhibitions, and curriculum contributions. The research addresses border security, migration, nationalism, and the impact of geopolitical shifts, including Brexit and war, using an ethno-mimetic approach to document borders from 'below' and influence policy and teaching. As an affiliated member of the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21) and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures, the researcher will engage with a network of interdisciplinary scholars. The position requires independent research experience relevant to EUROBORDERWALKS, a PhD, peer-reviewed publications, and ideally bilingual skills in English and Polish/Ukrainian or English and Croatian. Experience in qualitative research, policy analysis, project management, education, curriculum development, and stakeholder engagement is essential. The role involves operational responsibility for translating research findings into policy briefs, scientific reports, conference presentations, and other outputs. The researcher will support postgraduate students, contribute to grant proposals, and assist in financial management. Garda vetting or international police clearance may be required. The position is full-time for 12 months, with funding provided by the Research Ireland Advanced Laureate grant. Applicants should apply online via the University College Cork website, ensuring all documents are submitted before the deadline of 29 May 2026. For further information, contact Professor Maggie O'Neill at [email protected].