Research Officer

The Department of Education is looking to appoint a Research Officer who will be a joint member of the Applied Linguistics, Learning and New Technologies, and Child Development and Learning research groups, and have responsibility for carrying out research for the LiFT programme, which aims to develop and evaluate the educational potential of app-based interactive activities for children and families. Reporting to Prof Victoria Murphy, the postholder will primarily conduct work to support the development of an ebook platform within Applaydu, a children’s app commissioned by Ferrero International and created by Gameloft, and its associated research stream within the established project, spanning the fields of digital research and children’s language and literacy development. You will also be expected to contribute to the planning of new aspects of the project as it develops. You will work closely with the research team but also need to be able to work independently and take day-to-day responsibility for project management.

You will be responsible for conducting high quality academic reviews of existing research evidence on ebooks and their features, translating findings into design guidelines and liaising with colleagues at Ferrero International and app developers at Gameloft, providing findings and progress updates. You will contribute to and/or lead stakeholder engagement and/or impact activities, write concise and clear reports for project partners, families and academic audiences, and contribute to the planning of potential research avenues which may lead from the work. You will also be responsible for supporting quantitative and qualitative fieldwork across the wider project (including in schools and/or children’s settings), assist with the preparation of research publications and undertake other such duties as may be reasonably requested.

The successful candidate will hold, or be close to completion of, a relevant PhD/DPhil, together with relevant experience, and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to work within the established research programme. You will have the ability to manage your own academic research and associated activities, and contribute ideas for new research projects and research income generation. You will have good interpersonal, IT and organisational skills, with the ability to work independently as well as part of a team, and liaise with various agencies and research teams. You must also have excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate ideas to non-academic audiences, write for publication, present research proposals and results, and represent the research group at meetings. 

This post is fixed-term until 31 December 2023 and is offered on a full-time basis. Due to the requirements of the role a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is required.

Applications for this vacancy should be made online and you will be required to upload a CV and supporting statement as part of your application, explaining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for this post.

For further details of the role, please see the job description. The closing date for applications is midday on Friday 21 April 2023 and only applications received by this deadline will be considered. Interviews will be held soon after the closing date.

Advert information