FROM PART-TIME ACADEMIC EDITOR TO BRITISH ACADEMY POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW A Small Thank You to the ISRF from the Outgoing Academic Editor Dr. Rachael Kiddey British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oxford
In 2014, I was several months post-PhD and seven months pregnant and starting to wonder whether I would ever find an academic job that would allow me to balance my impending motherhood and hardearned desire to become a fully-fledged academic. Looking through Jobs.ac.uk I came upon an advert for a part-time Academic Editor for a small public benefit foundation called the Independent Social Research Foundation. I applied and was invited to interview. ‘Ah!,’ I thought, ‘I had better mention my enormous bump!’ I remember precisely what Stuart said when I called the office, ‘Congratulations! Lots of people have babies and jobs. Come to interview. I’m sure we can arrange things suitably for everyone if necessary.’ That was the first time that my involvement with the ISRF gave me cause to sit back and give a happy sigh. Fast forward a year or two and instead of my tummy, it was my job that was expanding! Reporting to Louise and managed by Stuart, I made the move from 8-hours per week ‘assisting’ to an almost full-time role as Academic Editor, a move that was, from an employee point of view, expertly handled. Instead of me being expected to fit into a job description, I was encouraged to grow the job in ways that benefitted the Foundation whilst also making the most of my personal talents, interests and skills. This ethos spans the Foundation’s approach to everyone with whom it is engaged, from those awarded the smallest flexible funds to Mid-Career Fellowships. In part, the 37
