Research Assistant: Experimental Approaches to Investigating Language Evolution

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant to join a project that will investigate the conditions which facilitated the evolution of language in humans. The project will collect and formally describe theories of how linguistic abilities evolved as a response to social, economic or ecological factors, using a special database (CHIELD, https://correlation-machine.com/CHIELD ). Secondly, it will test these theories using experiments where participants will collaborate with each other to complete tasks in a virtual environment (Minecraft). The aim is to understand which tasks and environments reliably create a pressure to develop a communication system.

The successful applicant will have a background in linguistics, anthropology, or psychology, ideally with a focus on evolutionary theories. Experience with running experiments, quantitative methods, and basic programming would be beneficial, but training will be provided. Excellent organisational and team-working skills and a proven ability to prioritise and meet deadlines within an agreed timeframe are essential. The post holder will take a central role in recruiting participants, collecting data, coding and analysing results. They will also be involved in the write up of analyses for publication and in the dissemination of the results at conferences.

This 4-year project is funded by the AHRC and is led by Dr Seán Roberts, at the Centre for Language and Communication Research in the School of English, Communication and Philosophy here at Cardiff University.

This post will be based in Cardiff and is full-time (35hrs per week) for a fixed term of 15 months. The successful applicant will be expected to take up the post from 1st August 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Salary: £27,924 - £32,344 per annum (Grade 5).  It is not expected that an appointment be made above £29,614 per annum. 

Interested applicants are invited to contact Dr.Seán Roberts ([email protected] ) for more info.

Closing date: Monday, 6 June 2022

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, age, or socioeconomic position.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.  

“Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/our-research-environment/integrity-and-ethics/responsible-research-assessment”