R210449 - Researcher in Forensic Linguistics

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School of Social Sciences & Humanities
Location:  Aston University Main Campus
Salary:  £42,149 per annum
Grade:  Grade 09
Contract Type:  Fixed Term (31/12/2022)
Basis:  Full Time
Closing Date:  23.59 hours GMT on Tuesday 09 November 2021
Interview Date:  Wednesday 24 November 2021
Reference:  R210449
Release Date:  Tuesday 26 October 2021

The Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics (AIFL) is looking to appoint a linguistic researcher to become part of SILC, our research centre focusing on Spoken Interaction in Legal Contexts. SILC’s current main research focus is on investigative interviews in police contexts, but our remit encompasses other contexts where spoken interaction is central, such as internal or civil investigations, the courtroom, emergency calls, and first response encounters. A key tenet of our approach is to work closely with practitioners and external organisations, in order to produce genuinely useful research informed by, and grounded in, professional practice. You will become a key member of a small research team, where your main tasks will be (1) to contribute to the ongoing ‘For The Record’ project, and (2) to write funding bids for the continuation of SILC’s work. It will also be an ideal springboard to develop your own research career in this area. 

‘For the Record’ is a mixed-methods research project, analysing the production of official records of police interviews in the UK. It involves qualitative linguistic analysis of spoken and written discourse; questionnaires and focus groups; and psycholinguistic experiments. At this stage, our focus is on completing and synthesising the research findings, writing up results both for our police partners and for academic publication, and preparing a bid for follow-on funding to extend the project nationally. 

No specific experience in forensic linguistics is necessary, although you must have excellent language analysis skills, and be willing to work collaboratively and constructively with police partners.  

Special conditions

Once we have interviewed and selected a candidate, you must be prepared to complete police vetting successfully before receiving a formal offer of employment. (This is required because otherwise you would not be permitted to access the research data.)

Please note we process sensitive data involving interviews relating to a range of criminal offences, and so exposure to potentially disturbing content may be an integral part of your work. Where this is the case we provide appropriate support as part of our commitment to ethical research. 

Please note: Redeployees will be given priority consideration for vacancies.

Further particulars and application forms are available in alternative formats on request i.e. large print, Braille, tape or CD Rom.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact HR via [email protected]

Aston University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.