Job Description

Post title

UDS PGR Ambassador

College/Division

Student Services

School/Department

University Doctoral School

Full time/Part time

Part time

Duration of the Post

04/01/2027 – 30/06/2027

Grade

2

Hourly rate

£13.45 per hour plus holiday entitlement

Number of positions available

5

Closing Date

27/10/2026 at 23:55

Please note that this vacancy may be taken down early depending on the number of applications received. We advise you to submit your application promptly.

Our offer to you

At the University of Birmingham, Worklink is the dedicated student employment service which helps students to find flexible, well paid part-time roles that fit around your studies. Each year, the University invests more than £2.5 million to employ 3,000 of our own students in a wide range of roles, supporting our student community into part-time work. Roles available via Worklink include a range of positions, including administrative roles, support staff such as cleaners or baristas, research roles and many more.

Jobs through Worklink help you to gain work experience, develop skills relevant for your future career, and improve your soft and hard skills in a professional setting. Enhance your CV and get valuable experience ready for graduate roles and feel connected to your university and local community.

Our jobs are flexible and can be scheduled around your academic commitments, so you can focus on your studies first. Our team are passionate about supporting students into work. Worklink are based in a central location on campus which is easily accessible for students and can also be contacted online.

Find out more about working through Worklink here or via the student intranet.

Job summary

The PGR Ambassador roles offer a great opportunity to get involved in two major events in the PGR calendar: the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Finals and the UDS Showcase. As part of the University Doctoral School (UDS) team, you will help us prepare for these activities and support their smooth delivery on the day. You will also have the opportunity to support wider UDS provision, including activities linked to the PGR experience and researcher training and development programmes.

PGR Ambassadors will work alongside UDS staff on a range of tasks, from helping with event materials, welcoming visitors, and supporting fellow PGRs taking part. This role is ideal for PGRs who enjoy meeting new people, getting involved in the research community, and helping create positive and engaging experiences for others. It’s also an excellent opportunity to develop valuable skills in communication, teamwork and event delivery.

Candidates will need to be available for:

• Interviews on week of 16th - 20th November 2026
• Support the 3MT Finals on Wednesday 17th March and Wednesday 24th 2027 (provisional dates)
• UDS Showcase set up and delivery on Monday 14th - Tuesday 15th or Monday 21st - Tuesday 22nd June 2027 (provisional dates)

Main duties

• Help the University Doctoral School with planning and delivering Three-Minute Thesis and the UDS Showcase.
• Help prepare event materials, including putting together presentations for keynote speakers and talks.
• Support the Festival’s Research Poster Competition by reviewing submitted posters and helping shortlist entries.
• Assist with setting up and packing down event spaces, including putting up signage, arranging poster boards and helping with catering areas.
• Welcome attendees, answer questions and act as a friendly, knowledgeable point of contact throughout the UDS Showcase.
• Promote PGR events and the UDS through positive peer to peer engagement within the PGR community.
• Additional ad-hoc tasks related to the preparations and delivery of the events, as appropriate
• Support the University Doctoral School in developing and sharing engaging, PGR-led content that promotes opportunities and helps reach the wider PGR community.
• Support the development and promotion of PGR networks, fostering opportunities for inclusion, belonging and engagement among underrepresented groups of researchers.
• Assist with UDS PGR recruitment activities, which may include supporting virtual open days, offer-holder engagement and other prospective researcher initiatives.
• Partake in focus groups and provide feedback and a PGR perspective on new University Doctoral School initiatives, helping to ensure activities and services meet the needs of the PGR community.
• Act as a positive ambassador for the PGR community by encouraging traffic to and use of Westmere House as a PGR Hub.

Required knowledge, skills, qualifications & experience

• Registered as a postgraduate researcher at the University up to and including 23 June 2027.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a commitment to high quality customer service.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Experience of working effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to use initiative, exercise good judgement, and work flexibly.
• Experience supporting and/or delivering large events.
• Ability to always represent the University positively and professionally.
• Confident engaging with diverse groups of participants in an inclusive manner.
• Candidates will need to be available for: Interviews on the week 16th-20th November; for the 3MT Finals on Wednesday 17th March and Wednesday 24th March (provisional dates); for the UDS Showcase set up and delivery on Monday 14th - Tuesday 15th or Monday 21st - Tuesday 22nd June (provisional dates).

Further details

For any informal queries, please contact Nadira Abdun (n.abdun.1@bham.ac.uk).

The University of Birmingham restricts all students to working up to 20 hours per week during term time for a maximum of 13 consecutive weeks. If your application is successful and your course does not follow the usual academic term timetable (e.g.  PGT, PGR or PhD student), you and your supervisor must formally agree vacation periods if this role exceeds 20 hours per week. In addition to this, please be aware if you are an international student you will be required to apply to the Registry for the appropriate authorised absence.

You are only eligible to apply to this role if you are a current University of Birmingham student. If you are not a University of Birmingham student your application will not be considered.

To work you will need to carry out a right to work check. These checks will need to be completed prior to work commencing.

Regarding the use of AI in applications, we review hundreds of applications and shortlist candidates based on their unique perspective, motivations and potential. Cover letters generated through, or edited by, AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT or CoPilot) are easy to identify. They produce generic answers and will not score highly enough to progress. You may use AI tools for research, but all written content in your application must be your own work. Authenticity and originality are key to standing out in this process.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we’re unable to contact all applicants individually. You can check the progress of your application by logging into the Worklink jobs portal using the same email address you used to apply. If you haven’t heard back within six weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.