Postdoctoral Research Associate

Overview

The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading is seeking a four-year Postdoctoral Research Associate for the Leverhulme Trust-funded project Literacy in the Digital Age, led by Dr Yaling Hsiao. The project investigates how children aged 11 to 14 learn across print and digital media. The postholder will lead core research on reading and writing development using longitudinal school testing, experimental paradigms and statistical modelling.

Requirements

Applicants need a PhD, or be near completion, in psychology, cognitive science, computational linguistics, linguistics, computer science or a related field. Strong quantitative, statistical or computational programming skills are required, for example in R or Python, linear mixed models or deep learning architectures, together with a solid theoretical background in literacy development, child language acquisition or psycholinguistics. A record of academic publishing and high-quality writing is expected, along with experience of research and data collection with children in educational settings. The role also needs excellent interpersonal and management skills to mentor PhD students, supervise project research assistants and liaise with partner schools.

Because the role is a regulated activity, an Enhanced DBS check with a child barred list check is required, and safeguarding training and policies apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

What you get

The full-time post is fixed term for 48 months on Grade 6, with pay of £36,636 to £38,784 per annum. It is based at the Whiteknights campus, with a generous holiday allowance, access to advanced research software and computing clusters, structured career mentoring and discounted facilities. External and internal candidates are welcome, and the role can be considered on a secondment basis for existing staff. Job-share, part-time and flexible working requests are considered. Applicants needing visa sponsorship are advised to check their eligibility for the Skilled Worker route, as visa routes are discussed only with candidates invited to interview.

How to apply

Applications are made through the university's online portal. The interview includes a 10-minute presentation on the candidate's research background relevant to the project.

Key dates

The closing date is 23.59 on 29 October 2026. The interview date is to be confirmed.