Overview
Research Co-operative Administrator (0204-25) – Derby, DE22 1GB
About the University
We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.
The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.
We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.
About the College/Department
Here at University of Derby, the College of Science and Engineering is the home of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths: the STEM skills that are essential to the UK’s Industrial Strategy. From digitisation to decarbonisation, we have an important role to play in shaping the future. And by researching or collaborating with us, you can too.
Engineering at Derby has a bold vision to deliver an outstanding learning experience to our students, further develop and expand our research capacity and increase our industry engagement in the region and beyond to fulfil targets for Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Knowledge Excellence Framework (KEF) as well as provide the best opportunities to our graduates. The discipline area is located in the University’s STEM annex in Markeaton Street, where staff offices and lab facilities are co-located. Key investments in the last few years include dedicated intelligent instrumentation and smart sensor technologies, robotics, renewable energy, power engineering and advanced materials and manufacturing. The discipline area is actively engaged in knowledge exchange projects and has an active applied research agenda.
About the Role
The Electro-Acoustics Research Lab (EARLab) is dedicated to the “democracy of sound” – where all audience members experience an equally excellent listening experience. Our mission is to deliver high-quality and safe listening experiences to all through analysis and optimisation of sound reproduction and reinforcement.
EARLab stands as one of the few research clusters worldwide with expertise in sound reinforcement. The team is instrumental in the ongoing evolution of the field, both in engineering and policy. Some members remain active live sound engineers, providing valuable insights from the field.
The lab hosts the HELA Certification (Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance), described as the world’s first safe-listening certification for live events, delivered with input from academics, healthcare professionals and industry experts across the globe. Through HELA, the team provides industry-ready training and certification that promotes responsible sound management while supporting great audience experiences and positive relationships with local communities.
To support our mission, we’re looking for an administrator to keep the HELA Research Co-op running smoothly day-to-day. The role involves managing HELA’s social media channels, website updates, and e-newsletter scheduling, while tracking engagement metrics. You will act as the first point of contact for website enquiries, coordinating responses with academic and technical colleagues, and maintaining a simple contact log for partners and committees.
As Research Co-operative Administrator, you will also plan and support logistics for online seminars, research workshops, networking events, and partner visits, including venue coordination and travel arrangements for international visitors. Additional responsibilities include assisting with trade-show organisation, supporting finance processes such as purchase orders and expenses, and compiling data for project reporting.
This role is part time (22.2 hours per week) and is a fixed-term, grant-funded role which offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic research environment, supporting collaboration and engagement across academic and industry partners. Some UK travel and occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support events and trade shows.
About You
The ideal candidate will be a proactive and well-organised individual with strong communication and coordination skills to support our projects and stakeholder activities. You will have experience in administration within a project, research, higher education, or Small-Medium Enterprise environment, with the ability to manage social media scheduling and update basic web content.
You will bring experience in planning and delivering both virtual and in-person events, confidently liaising with venues and suppliers to ensure smooth delivery. Excellent written communication, sound judgement when handling enquiries, and strong attention to detail are essential. Proficiency in Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and basic design tools such as Canva is also required.
Benefits
- Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
- Discounted onsite gym
- Cycle to Work scheme
- A flexible working environment
- A commitment to personal and professional development
Key Contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Adam Hill, Associate Professor of Electroacoustics via a.hill@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk
Important Information
The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
Please visit our website for more information.
The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody’s concern.
Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.
Closing Date: 11 Nov 2025
Area: Administrative Support
Salary: £26,981 to £28,213 per annum pro rata
(for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £32,445 per annum, pro rata)
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
