Placement role title: Research Assistant – Digital Good Index Co-design
Brief description of the host organisation:
The Digital Good Network is an ESRC-funded research network which asks what a good digital society looks like and how we get there. It supports a range of research projects, development opportunities, and impact and engagement activities. The successful placement holder will work on the Digital Good Index, a set of tools for evaluating whether digital technologies have good societal outcomes.
Background/ expected impact of the project:
We are currently in the process of co-designing, testing and iterating the Digital Good Index with a range of partners and stakeholders who are keen to ensure that they develop, procure, deploy and govern technology in ways that benefit people and society. The research assistant will implement a co-design protocol, developed by the DGI working group, with one partner or stakeholder organisation, with support and oversight from our DGI postdoctoral researcher, to help us iterate and improve the DGI.
Outline of duties:
● Administer the research (eg setting up meetings with contact person at stakeholder organisation).
● Implement DGI co-design protocol.
● Carry out interviews with relevant people at the stakeholder organisation, including target users of the stakeholder’s technology.
● Archive research data according to FAIR principles
● Analyse research data from co-design and interviews.
● Produce a) a report for the stakeholder and b) a report for DGN
● Contribute to writing a journal article about DGI co-design if appropriate
Expected output(s)/ deliverable(s):
● Two reports, one for stakeholder organisation, one for DGN
● Improved, iterated DGI protocol
● Possible journal article – to be confirmed after the research has been completed
Support for Research Assistant:
The PG researcher will form part of the DGI working group, which is made up of:
● Dr Dee Goddard, DGN Communications, Impact & Engagement Officer and DGI working group convenor
● Dr Kim Snooks, DGI postdoctoral researcher
● Professor Helen Kennedy, DGN Director (all at University of Sheffield)
● Dr Dan Richards, University of Lancaster.
The PG researcher will participate in weekly meetings with the DGI working group and monthly meetings with the DGN Management Team, as well as having more regular contact with members of the working group as appropriate. Working from within the DGN space in the Social Research Institute in The Wave @ TUoS, the researcher will learn more about broader DGN activities that will support their work.
Skills and experience required for the role
● Qualitative research methods
● Experience of using participatory methods (eg co-design) is desirable but not essential
● Understanding of key debates in digital society research, especially with regard to harms and inequalities
● Communication skills
● Commitment to the vision of the DGN
Working arrangements and location of the placement
Placement duration: Three months
Full-time or part-time: Full-time
In-person, online or hybrid: Hybrid;
The successful applicant will benefit from working with the rest of the Sheffield-based DGN/DGI team in The Wave building, at least once a week. Tuesday is our work-from-the-office day.
To enable hybrid participation students will be required to use their own laptop.
We do have desktop computers available to use on campus, if preferred.
Funding: The Digital Good Network will contribute up to £500 towards travel costs and subsistence (if required) to permit the postholder to visit the University of Sheffield.
How to apply
Placement ideal start date: June 2026
Closing date and time for applications: 7 March 2026
Application information: The opportunity is open to current ESRC- funded students only. Please confirm on your application that you are a Postgraduate Researcher who has funding through a DTP to undertake a placement as part of your studentship and indicate which DTP you are a member of.
How to submit an application: Submit your application – a CV, a cover letter explaining why you are a good fit for the opportunity, and a completed ESRC placement funding permission form to info@digitalgood.net by the given
deadline.
Recruitment process
The host organisation is responsible for processing the applications received for this opportunity and applications will be processed as follows:
The Digital Good Network is driven by an understanding that the way people as individuals, communities or societies experience digital technologies is determined by who they are. Put simply, different people experience the same technologies differently. We must, therefore, be inclusive and broad both in terms of how and what we are researching, and who is undertaking digital society research. Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are therefore at the heart of the Digital Good Network’s work and we welcome applications from currently under-represented groups within our school, including candidates who are women, LGBTQ+, disabled and from Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
DGI team members will:
● review applications,
● interview strongest candidates (interviews will be online),
● make selection,
● communicate reasons for decision to applicants.
Any queries about this opportunity should be addressed to the host organisation: info@digitalgood.net / h.kennedy@sheffield.ac.uk