English Language Research and Impact: Assessment Researcher

Join the British Council English Language Research and Impact (BCELRI) team and play a key role in advancing research and innovation in English language teaching, learning and assessment. As an Assessment Researcher within the Learning and Assessment Research (LAR) hub, you will provide expert, evidence-based advice and support across assessment development, validation and research projects within English & Exams (E&E). This role will contribute to strengthening the British Council’s global research and development capability, with a particular focus on projects spanning the full range of British Council language assessments, including the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Working closely with the Head of Assessment Research and a broad network of internal and external stakeholders, you will help ensure that assessment research, product support and dissemination activities are delivered to the highest professional and academic standards.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced academic researcher with significant expertise in validation research and a strong publication record in the fields of language teaching, learning and assessment. You will contribute to the British Council’s thought leadership agenda by conducting, commissioning, presenting and publishing high-quality research that supports strategic priorities across BCELRI. The successful candidate will build strong collaborative relationships, balance the needs of diverse stakeholders and contribute to maintaining the British Council’s reputation as a world authority in language assessment.

In addition to leading assessment-focused initiatives, you will also support wider BCELRI programmes, conferences and research activities, offering the opportunity to broaden your professional experience while helping shape the future of English language assessment worldwide.

• Maintains an authoritative and up-to-date knowledge of assessment design and validity theory and practice to enable BCELRI to demonstrate expertise in language assessment, learning and educational reform, providing expertise in assessment theory, practice, and research approaches and models.
• Conducts own research into test development and validation in teaching, learning and assessment and presents on test development and validation themes, contributing validation research to the ELRI content library and contributing to the dissemination work of the ELRI Learning and Assessment Research hub.
• Demonstrates a background in practical implementation of assessments at different levels across products and projects or programmes.
• Is familiar with the international high‑stakes assessment environment, including knowledge of IELTS test format, scoring and use.
• Is able to oversee and be accountable for all compliance requirements associated with assessment initiatives.
• Develops a body of work through research, publication and dissemination which builds the British Council’s position of international leadership and authority in monitoring and evaluation of language assessment and learning.
• Works collaboratively with other members of the ELRI under the direction of the Head of Learning and Assessment Research on a range of assessment‑related projects and supports the full range of activities, including dissemination activities, carried out by ELRI.
• Contributes to ELRI recommendations, based on an up‑to‑date understanding of the latest developments in language assessment research, for future innovation and change in the British Council examination portfolio.
• Supports other members of ELRI to provide assessment expertise to research projects related to IELTS.
• Supports the ELRI’s contribution to the management of British Council and IELTS funded research programmes and research grant schemes, including using an understanding of the latest developments in the field of assessment research to evaluate grant proposals and review research reports, etc.
• Takes an active role in presenting the research output from projects at peer‑reviewed, international research conferences in collaboration with ELRI and the IELTS partners to strengthen the status of the…