The READ-IT project, funded by the ESRC, aims to monitor and predict how children learn to read between the ages of 5 and 7 applying computational models of reading development. The project will collect weekly data from primary school children learning to read and apply computational methods to automatically encode children’s speech, and track and predict children’s reading development over their early primary school years. The ultimate aim is to develop tools that can aid teachers to optimally support children’s individual reading journeys. The project spans expertise in the Department of Psychology and the School of Computing and Communications.

These posts involve visiting local primary schools on a daily basis and reading with children whilst recording their responses, transcribing the reading, and working with primary school teachers to work on ways to support children’s reading journey. The data will be collated and passed to other researchers in the team who will then apply the computational modelling techniques.

ABOUT YOU

You will:

• Have a degree in psychology, education, or a related discipline, and preferably also a postgraduate qualification.
• Have experience working in primary school settings, with teachers and/or children, preferably with experience in applying psychological tests.
• Have an interest in applying psychological knowledge to understand children’s reading development, and be aware of reading in the classroom context.
• Have background knowledge of issues relating to transcription of speech, preferably with background in phonetics or phonology.
• Be able to work effectively with primary school children and be able to attend school settings in the Lancaster area on a daily basis to read with children.
• Be able to deal with confidential data, and understand safeguarding, ethical and GDPR issues regarding working with children.
• Be willing to undergo enhanced DBS check.

THE BENEFITS OF THE ROLE

• Generous holiday leave - 25 days (pro-rata) annual leave plus University closure days and bank holidays.
• Access to employee pension scheme, and annual flexible benefits scheme.
• We are committed to promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the Faculty, and supporting family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis. The Department of Psychology holds an Athena Swan Silver Award, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in Higher Education and research.  

Closing Date: 17 Jul 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £33,002 to £37,694 (Full-Time/Indefinite with End Date)