Kawader Research Assistant - Voice Studies
Posted date [2026-09-20]
(ID: 52177)
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Job Description and Requirements
Kawader Research Assistant - Voice StudiesJob Snapshot
Role: Kawader Research Assistant - Voice Studies
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Industry: Higher Education
Function: Research
Experience: Not specified
Job Type: Full Time
Position Overview
New York University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a Kawader Research Assistant Fellow in Voice Studies and Cultural Anthropolinguistics within the Arts and Humanities division in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Supervised by Chinasa Ezugha, the position supports interconnected research and book projects examining voice, cultural performance, glossolalia, and alternative linguistic modalities. The fellowship combines archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, academic writing, audio documentation, publishing support, international research exposure, and participation in the development of a new Voice Studies and Epistemological Research Centre in the UAE.
Job Details
Country: UAE
City: Abu Dhabi
Industry: Higher Education
Function: Research
Salary: Not disclosed
Gender: No Preference
Candidate Nationality: Not specified
Job Type: Full Time
Work Arrangement: On-site
Research Projects
The successful candidate will
contribute to two interconnected scholarly projects exploring voice, cultural performance, linguistic expression, and epistemology.
The first project is a monograph examining the sonic philosophies of Antonin Artaud, reframed and analyzed through Bedouin vocal traditions.
The second project is an edited volume or monograph investigating glossolalia, including speaking in tongues and non-semantic vocalization, and its cultural, ritualistic, and spiritual relevance within the Arab world and beyond.
The Research Assistant will help connect theoretical inquiry with field-based research and may have the opportunity to co-author a chapter arising from field data or theoretical synthesis.
Key Responsibilities
* Conduct archival and secondary literature research on Artaud\'s theatre of cruelty and glossolalia.
* Review scholarship in sound studies and Middle Eastern oral and vocal histories.
* Synthesize complex theoretical, historical, and field-based research materials.
* Assist with planning, conducting, and documenting ethnographic fieldwork.
* Support research into vocal traditions and glossolalia across the Arab world.
* Recruit, communicate with, and coordinate research participants.
* Contribute to conceptual development and academic writing for the book projects.
* Collaborate on draft materials with the potential to co-author a scholarly book chapter.
* Manage administrative workflows associated with the research and publication projects.
* Correspond with co-editors, publishers, contributing authors, and other stakeholders.
* Assist with manuscript and publication-related coordination.
* Support administrative and strategic work associated with establishing the Voice Studies and Epistemological Research Centre in the UAE.
* Participate in international research activities, including a four-month visiting fellowship at the University of Victoria in Canada.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have:
* Graduate degree in an Arts or Humanities discipline, or a Master\'s degree in a related field.
* Fluency in English and Arabic.
* Knowledge of Classical Arabic and-or relevant regional Arabic dialects suitable for fieldwork.
* Experience or training in qualitative research methods.
* Experience or training in ethnography, oral history interviewing, or field audio recording.
* Strong academic writing skills.
* Familiarity with academic citation and formatting standards.
* Excellent organizational and administrative capabilities.
* Experience coordinating communications involving multiple stakeholders.
* Willingness and ability to travel internationally.
* Ability to participate in the four-month residency at the University of Victoria in Canada.
* Willingness and ability to undertake fieldwork across the Arab world.
Preferred Research Background
Candidates with a background or strong research interest in one or more of the following areas are particularly relevant:
* Voice Studies.
* Sound Studies.
* Performance Studies.
* Cultural anthropolinguistics.
* Decolonial epistemologies.
* Avant-garde studies.
* Antonin Artaud and related scholarship.
Previous experience with academic publishing workflows, manuscript preparation, indexing, or copyediting is preferred.
Research and Technical Competencies
Methodological Versatility
Candidates should be able to work across varied research methodologies and demonstrate strong analytical capabilities when synthesizing complex research materials and data.
Audio and Field Technology
Familiarity with high-quality field recording equipment and basic audio editing or archiving software is relevant to documenting and preserving vocal performances.
Applicable tools may include:
* Audacity.
* Adobe Audition.
* Field audio recording equipment.
* Digital audio editing and archiving tools.
Epistemological Frameworks
The role requires strong literacy in decolonial methodologies and non-Western epistemologies concerning language and the body, supporting the project\'s theoretical and field-based research objectives.
Program and Professional Development
The Kawader fellowship provides a full-time paid research position for up to three years and includes mentorship from NYU Abu Dhabi faculty.
The source-listed development opportunities include:
* Professional development and research training.
* Interdisciplinary experience across voice studies, cultural anthropolinguistics, and performance studies.
* Direct mentorship through the academic publishing process.
* Potential co-authorship of a scholarly book chapter.
* International research experience at the University of Victoria in Canada.
* Academic networking across North America and the Middle East.
* Practical experience supporting a complex multi-author editorial project.
* Experience contributing to the establishment of a new research centre in the UAE.
Application Requirements
Applicants must provide:
* Curriculum Vitae.
* One-page statement of interest.
* Academic transcript or transcripts.
* Two letters of recommendation or referee contacts.
UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.
Kawader Research Assistantship Program
This position is offered through the NYU Abu Dhabi Kawader program, a three-year national capacity-building research fellowship program providing outstanding graduates with experience in an advanced academic research environment.
The individually tailored program includes two pathways designed for Emirati graduates considering further graduate education or a career in research.
About New York University Abu Dhabi
New York University Abu Dhabi is a research university in Abu Dhabi and part of NYU\'s global university network. Its academic and research activities span the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and engineering, supporting interdisciplinary scholarship and international academic collaboration within a globally connected university community.
The first project is a monograph examining the sonic philosophies of Antonin Artaud, reframed and analyzed through Bedouin vocal traditions.
The second project is an edited volume or monograph investigating glossolalia, including speaking in tongues and non-semantic vocalization, and its cultural, ritualistic, and spiritual relevance within the Arab world and beyond.
The Research Assistant will help connect theoretical inquiry with field-based research and may have the opportunity to co-author a chapter arising from field data or theoretical synthesis.
Key Responsibilities
* Conduct archival and secondary literature research on Artaud\'s theatre of cruelty and glossolalia.
* Review scholarship in sound studies and Middle Eastern oral and vocal histories.
* Synthesize complex theoretical, historical, and field-based research materials.
* Assist with planning, conducting, and documenting ethnographic fieldwork.
* Support research into vocal traditions and glossolalia across the Arab world.
* Recruit, communicate with, and coordinate research participants.
* Contribute to conceptual development and academic writing for the book projects.
* Collaborate on draft materials with the potential to co-author a scholarly book chapter.
* Manage administrative workflows associated with the research and publication projects.
* Correspond with co-editors, publishers, contributing authors, and other stakeholders.
* Assist with manuscript and publication-related coordination.
* Support administrative and strategic work associated with establishing the Voice Studies and Epistemological Research Centre in the UAE.
* Participate in international research activities, including a four-month visiting fellowship at the University of Victoria in Canada.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have:
* Graduate degree in an Arts or Humanities discipline, or a Master\'s degree in a related field.
* Fluency in English and Arabic.
* Knowledge of Classical Arabic and-or relevant regional Arabic dialects suitable for fieldwork.
* Experience or training in qualitative research methods.
* Experience or training in ethnography, oral history interviewing, or field audio recording.
* Strong academic writing skills.
* Familiarity with academic citation and formatting standards.
* Excellent organizational and administrative capabilities.
* Experience coordinating communications involving multiple stakeholders.
* Willingness and ability to travel internationally.
* Ability to participate in the four-month residency at the University of Victoria in Canada.
* Willingness and ability to undertake fieldwork across the Arab world.
Preferred Research Background
Candidates with a background or strong research interest in one or more of the following areas are particularly relevant:
* Voice Studies.
* Sound Studies.
* Performance Studies.
* Cultural anthropolinguistics.
* Decolonial epistemologies.
* Avant-garde studies.
* Antonin Artaud and related scholarship.
Previous experience with academic publishing workflows, manuscript preparation, indexing, or copyediting is preferred.
Research and Technical Competencies
Methodological Versatility
Candidates should be able to work across varied research methodologies and demonstrate strong analytical capabilities when synthesizing complex research materials and data.
Audio and Field Technology
Familiarity with high-quality field recording equipment and basic audio editing or archiving software is relevant to documenting and preserving vocal performances.
Applicable tools may include:
* Audacity.
* Adobe Audition.
* Field audio recording equipment.
* Digital audio editing and archiving tools.
Epistemological Frameworks
The role requires strong literacy in decolonial methodologies and non-Western epistemologies concerning language and the body, supporting the project\'s theoretical and field-based research objectives.
Program and Professional Development
The Kawader fellowship provides a full-time paid research position for up to three years and includes mentorship from NYU Abu Dhabi faculty.
The source-listed development opportunities include:
* Professional development and research training.
* Interdisciplinary experience across voice studies, cultural anthropolinguistics, and performance studies.
* Direct mentorship through the academic publishing process.
* Potential co-authorship of a scholarly book chapter.
* International research experience at the University of Victoria in Canada.
* Academic networking across North America and the Middle East.
* Practical experience supporting a complex multi-author editorial project.
* Experience contributing to the establishment of a new research centre in the UAE.
Application Requirements
Applicants must provide:
* Curriculum Vitae.
* One-page statement of interest.
* Academic transcript or transcripts.
* Two letters of recommendation or referee contacts.
UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.
Kawader Research Assistantship Program
This position is offered through the NYU Abu Dhabi Kawader program, a three-year national capacity-building research fellowship program providing outstanding graduates with experience in an advanced academic research environment.
The individually tailored program includes two pathways designed for Emirati graduates considering further graduate education or a career in research.
About New York University Abu Dhabi
New York University Abu Dhabi is a research university in Abu Dhabi and part of NYU\'s global university network. Its academic and research activities span the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and engineering, supporting interdisciplinary scholarship and international academic collaboration within a globally connected university community.
