Postdoctoral Research Associate

Full Time / Fixed Term for 48 months

The closing date for applications is 23.59 on 29th October 2026

Interviews will be held: To Be Confirmed 

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The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading seeks a 4-year Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) for the Leverhulme Trust-funded project "Literacy in the Digital Age," led by Dr Yaling Hsiao.

Investigating how children aged 11–14 learn across print and digital media, you will lead core research on reading and writing development using longitudinal school testing, experimental paradigms, and statistical modeling.

You Will Have:

• A PhD (or near completion) in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computational Linguistics, Linguistics, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Strong quantitative, statistical, or computational programming skills (e.g., R, Python, linear mixed models, or deep learning architectures).
• A solid theoretical background in literacy development, child language acquisition, or psycholinguistics.
• A record of academic publishing and high-quality written communication.
• Experience in conducting research/data collection with children in educational settings
• Excellent interpersonal and management skills to mentor PhD students, supervise project Research Assistants, and liaise with partner schools. 

Why Join Us?

The University of Reading offers a supportive, inclusive, and world-class academic environment. Located at our vibrant Whiteknights campus, benefits include generous holiday allowance, access to advanced research software/clusters, structured career development mentoring, and discounted facilities.

We welcome applications from both external and internal candidates. This role can also be considered on a seconded basis for existing staff.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the University of Reading online portal. The interview will involve a 10-minute presentation on your research background relevant to the project.

The University is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and as such safeguarding checks will be undertaken.

Safeguarding Requirements and Responsibilities

• To undertake safeguarding training and follow the University’s Safeguarding Children & Adults at Risk Policy at all times.
• To consider Safeguarding in Risk Assessment processes for events and activities you deliver.
• To report any disclosures or concerns using the Safeguarding Incident Form and submit this to the UK Student Recruitment and Outreach team Designated Safeguarding Officer.

An Enhanced DBS with a child barred list check is required for this position. This role is a regulated activity. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

Please see these links for information on Safeguarding and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Procedure, including Recruiting ex-offenders principles

For more information, please contact:

Contact Name: Dr Yaling Hsiao

Contact Job Title: Principal Investigator

Contact Email address: y.hsiao@reading.ac.uk

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.