Postdoctoral Researcher – Linguistics & English Language

Postdoctoral Researcher – Linguistics & English Language

The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

This exciting research opportunity invites a dedicated and passionate early-career academic to join a dynamic team in a full-time, fixed-term Postdoctoral Researcher position within the Linguistics & English Language Department
, part of the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences at The University of Edinburgh. The appointment is part of a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) funded project exploring suprasegmental morphology in West Nilotic languages
, with a focus on in-depth descriptive analysis of Burun languages
. The role combines rigorous academic research with collaborative teamwork and offers the chance to engage with linguistics in diverse real-world settings, including regular fieldwork in East Africa
.

The successful candidate will work closely with project colleagues and contribute to producing high-quality analyses of the sound systems and morphosyntactic structures of understudied languages, helping to expand understanding of linguistic diversity and structure. The post begins from 1 May 2026 and is offered on a 33-month fixed-term contract with 35 hours per week.

• PhD (completed or near completion) in Linguistics or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in qualitative analysis of the sound systems of understudied languages based on first‑hand data collection
  .
• Expertise in morphosyntax analysis and experience with suprasegmental phenomena
  .
• Strong collaborative research skills and capacity to contribute independently to analytical work are essential.

• Deep understanding of field methods in linguistic description and analysis.
• Proven ability to work effectively within a research team and in cross‑cultural research environments.
• Excellent academic writing and communication skills suitable for publication and dissemination.

This post is graded UE07 with a competitive salary ranging between £41,064 and £48,822 per year
, reflecting full‑time employment terms and progression within the pay scale.

The deadline for submitting complete applications was 17 December 2025
. Interviews were anticipated to be held in January 2026.