Research Assistant - ESRC (AHCEN1082)

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, well-organised and intellectually curious individual to support new real-time research on language variation and change, providing unprecedented perspective across nearly 60 years. The ESRC-funded project, The Social Differentiation of Norwich Revisited, builds directly on Peter Trudgill’s seminal Norwich English study, combining (i) a panel component – re-recording original participants to evaluate lifespan change in both production and perception – with (ii) a trend sample of the present-day community to track community-level change across five generations.

You will work closely with the Principal Investigator, Dr Kerri-Ann Butcher, in a diverse Research Assistant role. Responsibilities will range from tracing Trudgill’s original participants for re-interview and undertaking community-based fieldwork, to conducting acoustic phonetic analyses that will inform the project’s findings. You will turn results into accessible outputs (papers, talks, project website), support stakeholder engagement, and contribute to delivery of dialect workshops in East Anglia, some of which will take place in schools.

What we offer in return

26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!Generous pension scheme options plus life assuranceHealth and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more! 

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

 Dr Kerri-Ann Butcher, Project PI

Email: k.a.butcher@leeds.ac.uk

Closing Date: 15 Mar 2026

Section: Research

Salary: £33,951 to £39,906 p.a. pro rata