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The Open University is the UKs largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this ___ (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link). 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 Groups 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 Englands 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 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 Facultys teaching, learning and research, please visit: • 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 cafs (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. 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., • 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. If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on or email quoting the advert reference number. 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 ___ (clicking this link will open a new window). We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether its 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. Wed expect this to be at least 2 days per week, but this could be more often as business needs dictate. We expect interviews to take place on either 24th or 25th June 2026. 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. To apply for this role please submit the following document(s): • CV

The Open University is the UKs largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this ___ (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link). 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. It also examines the governance and ethical implications of defining sites of interest for different communities and cultures. You would be based within the Law School to undertake research on Lunar governance, in close collaboration with members of the team. 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 Groups 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 Englands Expanding Excellence in England scheme. About the Unit The Faculty of Business and Law is one of the four faculties of The Open University. It brings together two Schools ___ and ___ ___ and has a strong reputation as a high-quality and innovative provider of management and legal education. Our courses and qualifications are studied by a wide range of people from all backgrounds we are proud to promote opportunity and social justice by making higher education open to those unable to attend a more traditional campus-based university. Student satisfaction is a high priority, and we are determined to deliver the best outcomes for everyone studying with us. Our students return some of the highest satisfaction scores in the National Student Survey they have ever since the NSS began. Around 35,000 students are currently enrolled on our business, management and law programmes; about quarter of them are based outside the UK in 80 countries. The majority of our students are employed and study part-time with us. The Open University Business School is triple accredited (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS). Our internationally recognised teaching and learning methods take education right to the heart of leadership and management practice. Tutors are experienced business professionals, and because our distance learning approach allows managers to continue at work while studying, you can apply new knowledge and skills right from the start. Over 100,000 people from more than 125 countries have already studied with The Open University Business School. • To undertake research on policy and academic literature on protection of lunar sites (this includes draft Space Resources principles, Long-term sustainability guidelines, ESSI sustainability guidelines etc.)., • To evaluate examples of governance successes and legal analogues on Earth (particularly focusing on Antarctica and law of seas/UNCLOS)., • To contribute to research on the values of lunar exploration activities and extrapolating principles for conflict resolution in space governance., • To work with external partners on standards for space activities., • 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 cafs (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 have a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity., • To undertake other duties, as directed by their Line Manager. Essential criteria: • PhD completed ('completed' is defined as having received your certification rather than having submitted your viva/thesis pending amendments) in, or recent experience in, international law and governance, ideally with a space law and policy focus or a cognate subject area including international relations, public policy, or philosophy., • The ability to evaluate case studies related to environmental and/or cultural heritage protection that are relevant to space law and governance., • The ability to analyse policy briefs and other legal documents, and draft legal texts (e.g. guidelines, principles, or MoU), • 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., • 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. If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on or email quoting the advert reference number. 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 ___ (clicking this link will open a new window). We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether its 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. Wed expect this to be at least 2 days per week, but this could be more often as business needs dictate. We expect interviews to take place on 1st and 2nd June 2026. These will be held in person at our Milton Keynes site. 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. To apply for this role please submit the following document(s): • CV