Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Principal Investigator: Prof Yanjun Guan)

Nottingham University Business School China

Nottingham University Business School China Prof. Yanjun Guan’s research team is seeking outstanding Postdoctoral Research Fellows to join the postdoctoral research station in business administration for the development of University of Nottingham Ningbo China research agenda.

Your Responsibility

Your key responsibilities include:

• To formulate and articulate research objectives, alongside developing proposals for both individual and collaborative projects, utilizing established methodologies and techniques to execute research effectively within the specified area;
• To analyze data meticulously, interpret findings, evaluate scholarly texts, and contribute innovative insights, while adhering to project deadlines and collaborating seamlessly with team members and partners;
• To write up research work for publication and/or contribute to the dissemination at national/international conferences, resulting in successful research outputs;
• To identify opportunities and assist in writing bids for research grant applications;
• To build relationships with both internal and external contacts in order to exchange information, to form relationships for future collaborations and identify potential sources of funds and/or opportunities for collaboration.

About You

• The candidate must have obtained a PhD degree within 3 years in Applied Psychology, Management, Statistics, or Artificial Intelligence;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, including the ability to communicate with clarity on complex information. Excellent communication skills in Chinese are a plus;
• High analytical ability to analyze and illuminate data, interpret reports, evaluate and critique texts, and bring new insights;
• Ability to creatively apply relevant research approaches, models, techniques and methods;
• Ability to assess and organise resource requirements and deploy effectively;
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate with others, both internally and externally;
• Some practical experience of applying the specialist skills and approaches and techniques required for the role.

About Us

Join a unique British University in China. University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. Located in Ningbo, this award-winning campus offering a UK-style education has grown to establish a student body of over 10,000 in just 20 years.

About Postdoctoral Research Station in Business Administration

The Postdoctoral Research Station in Business Administration was approved in Nov 2023. It is UNNC’s first postdoctoral research station, aligning with national strategic needs in promoting talent cultivation and innovation. UNNC’s undergraduate programme in Business Administration was launched in 2004 and the doctoral programme in 2009. The subject has been listed among the world’s top academic subjects by Shanghai Ranking for four consecutive years. The discipline has also established teaching and research platforms at multiple levels and carried out in-depth industry–university research cooperation with world-renowned enterprises such as Microsoft and Amazon. In the future, UNNC will incorporate the development of the postdoctoral research station into its agenda to provide talent support in promoting scientific and technological innovation as well as economic and social development.

About the Research Team

Professor Yanjun Guan is a distinguished scholar in organizational management and psychology, with degrees from Peking University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He became the first Chinese full professor at Durham University Business School and now serves at UNNC. His research is published in top journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Journal of Management. He has held key editorial roles, including associate editor of the Journal of Vocational Behavior and currently the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. A recipient of a national top talent program, Professor Guan is dedicated to fostering research excellence in China.

Dr. Yanze Liang, an Assistant Professor at UNNC, focuses on international business and strategy. His work on internationalization strategies and innovation has been published in leading journals like Journal of World Business. He has secured funding and recognition through provincial and municipal talent programs. For details of the team, please refer to: Prof. Guan; Dr. Liang.

About the Project

• Develop a comprehensive, unified framework that not only integrates different conceptualizations of job search success but also unveils new dimensions relevant to modern career development;
• Propose and test a multi-dimensional measure to assess job seekers’ subjective job search success, validated by qualitative and quantitative studies, and generalized across diverse cultural backgrounds and employment statuses;
• Examine the effects of these dimensions on predicting job seekers’ subsequent career outcomes, enhancing understanding of how aspects of job search success collectively and independently influence career sustainability;

These findings will fill a void in existing literature and provide a foundation for targeted, evidence-based strategies in career and talent management.

Your Remuneration, Benefits and Support

• A fixed-term contract with UNNC for 2 years;
• Minimum annual salary package of RMB 269,906 with competitive benefits;
• Eligibility to apply for RMB 50,000 research funding after starting research.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit an application via the on-line system before 31 October, 2025. Only on-line applications will be accepted. Referees will be contacted prior to interview and interviews will take place in Ningbo, China.

Applications should include (but are not limited to):

• A cover letter
• An up-to-date CV including academic and research achievements
• A research proposal

Enquiries

Informal enquiries regarding the research project may be addressed to Prof. Yanjun Guan ([email protected]). If you are unable to apply on-line, please contact the Human Resources Office, Tel: +86 574 88180000 (Ext. 8854).