Post-Doctoral Research Associate (MoonRISE)

TL;DR

Post-Doctoral Research Associate (MoonRISE): Conducting research on lunar governance, policy literature on site protection, and ethical implications of lunar sites of interest with an accent on interdisciplinary analysis of cultural, scientific, and environmental factors. Focus on evaluating Earth analogues like Antarctica governance, developing conflict resolution principles, and collaborating with external partners on space standards.

Location: Hybrid (Milton Keynes, UK; at least 2 days per week in office required)

Salary: £38,784 to £46,049

Company

UK’s largest university and world leader in flexible part-time education, with research excellence in astrobiology, space governance, and interdisciplinary challenges.

What you will do

• Undertake research on policy and academic literature for lunar site protection, including Space Resources principles and sustainability guidelines.
• Evaluate governance successes and legal analogues on Earth, focusing on Antarctica and UNCLOS.
• Contribute to research on values of lunar exploration and principles for space conflict resolution.
• Collaborate with external partners on space activity standards and engage diverse communities on justice in knowledge production.
• Produce high-impact peer-reviewed publications, organize workshops, and present at conferences.
• Participate in team meetings, administrative tasks, and professional development.

Requirements

• PhD completed in international law and governance (ideally space law/policy) or cognate area like international relations, public policy, or philosophy
• Ability to evaluate environmental/cultural heritage case studies relevant to space law.
• Ability to analyse policy/legal documents and draft legal texts (guidelines, principles, MoUs).
• Experience in interdisciplinary teams and with non-academic partners/communities.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
• Excellent communication, workload planning, and commitment to equality/diversity.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of space exploration governance, ethics, and philosophy.
• Understanding of global institutions and space policy.
• Experience in space sector and public engagement/education.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible working discussions, including job share, part-time, or compressed hours.
• Hybrid pattern with home/office work, aligned to Milton Keynes office.
• Range of benefits for work-life balance, staff development opportunities.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and supporting individual potential.

Hiring process

• Submit CV and 1000-word supporting statement addressing essential criteria.
• Interviews on 1st-2nd June 2026, in person at Milton Keynes site.
• Applications reviewed ongoing; may close early if sufficient suitable candidates.