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About the Role

You will be welcomed as Research Associate in the team of the MoonRISE project, an interdisciplinary research project funded by UKRI investigating the cultural, scientific and environmental factors that determine what can be considered as sites of interest on the Moon.  The project also examines the governance and ethical implications of defining sites of interest for different communities and cultures. You would be based within the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies working in close collaboration with other members of the team to develop the project's core idea of 'space diplomacy' and researching its implications for Lunar governance. 

About MoonRISE 

MoonRISE is a project funded by UKRI that researches the effective governance of sites of cultural, scientific and environmental interest on the Moon. The project team spans three Faculties: The Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Faculty of Business and Law, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.  The project builds upon the work of AstrobiologyOU, which looks at the scientific, ethical and governance challenges associated with Astrobiology.

About AstrobiologyOU

AstrobiologyOU is an interdisciplinary research group addressing the scientific, ethical and governance challenges associated with the advancement of astrobiology and related space exploration missions. It spans three Faculties: The Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Faculty of Business and Law, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, bringing together 60 members with expertise in science, international development and governance.  The Group’s activities are supported by funding from UK Research councils, The UK Space Agency, The European Space Agency, and commercial activities, and has grown to its current strengths through a £7.4 million investment from Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England scheme.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

The Faculty is the largest and most diverse at The Open University, with some 50,000 students studying our modules with excellent completion rates and consistently outstanding student satisfaction ratings. Noted for the strength of our interdisciplinary approaches, our scholars of international standing teach and research a very wide range of topics and themes in specific subject areas, and having a direct and profound influence on our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

The Faculty is organised into three Schools:

• School of Psychology & Counselling
• School of Social Sciences & Global Studies
• School of Arts & Humanities

The Faculty works closely with important organisations and institutions in the UK and other parts of the world in a range of validated partnerships and collaborations. Engaged in world-class, agenda setting research tackling the most difficult challenges facing us in the 21st Century, with work in numerous subject-based and interdisciplinary research groups and projects.

With c.1800 members of staff comprising academics, associate lecturers, support staff and full-time research students working across the locations of the University, combining originality and innovation in research and curriculum, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is a vibrant and exciting place to study and work.

To find out more about the Faculty’s teaching, learning and research, please visit: http://fass.open.ac.uk/    

Key Responsibilities

• To undertake research exploring how ideas of care have relevance to outer space in dialogue with current work in the field of Social Studies of Outer Space, but also with reference to work in Planetary Science.
• To develop Isabelle Stengers and Bruno Latour's work on diplomacy such that it can be applied to the governance of lunar activities.
• 'To design with the PI and other team members a methodology for enacting space diplomacy in research and policy.
• To contribute to research on the values of lunar exploration activities and using that to inform principles for conflict resolution in space governance.
• To engage with different audiences and communities who may be differently affected by changing and increasing lunar activities (including to understand the question of justice in relation to knowledge production).
• To undertake research that is internationally excellent and leads to high-impact peer-reviewed publications.
• To be an active member of the MoonRISE project team, attending regular research group meetings and sharing knowledge with other members of the team.
• To organise internal and external events such as workshops and evidence cafés (in person and hybrid).
• To present research updates and results and participate in seminars and workshops aimed at sharing research outcomes, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.
• To carry out administrative tasks associated with this work, such as risk assessments, workload planning, career development and staff appraisals.
• To participate in national and international conferences (at least one per year) and events of learned societies.
• To undertake professional development aligned with the job role and future aspirations.
• To demonstrate the ability to act in accordance with the principles and practice of equality and diversity.
• To undertake other duties, as directed by their Line Manager.

About You

Essential criteria:

• PhD completed ('completed' is defined as having received your certification rather than having submitted your viva/thesis pending amendments) with a strong Science and Technology Studies (STS) component within Geography, STS, or related subjects in the Social Sciences and Environmental Humanities.
• The ability to translate theoretical research into insights that address practical research problems and/or to design research methods.
• Experience of working in interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience of working with non-academic partners and/or engaging with communities beyond academia.
• A demonstrable record of communicating research through peer reviewed publications and conference presentations (as fitting career stage).
• Excellent oral and written communication in a variety of contexts, including the ability to offer and receive constructive criticism.
• The ability to plan and prioritise own workload and work to agreed deadlines.
• Demonstrable evidence of taking responsibility and accountability for tasks while making effective use of available resources, information and feedback to improve efficiency, productivity and overall performance.
• Evidence of a personal commitment to developing interpersonal skills, with an understanding of impact on individuals, respecting and valuing diversity.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in, or knowledge of, governance, ethical and philosophical debates related to space exploration.
• Knowledge of global institutions; knowledge of space policy.
• Experience of working with/within the space sector.
• Evidence of contributions to public engagement or educational activities.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office some attendance in the office will be required in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be at least 2 days per week, but this could be more often as business needs dictate.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

We expect interviews to take place on either 24th or 25th June 2026.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications has been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented. If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):

• CV
• Supporting statement of up to 1000 words clearly demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.