Research Fellow (Behavioural Research and Online Child Safety)

Grade UE07: £40,497 to £48,149 per annum pro rata

CAHSS / Moray House School of Education and Sport

Part-time: 20 hours per week

Fixed-term: 31 October 2028

The Opportunity:

Childlight, a global child safety institute, is looking for Research Fellow in Behavioural Research and Online Child Safety to work as part of the Behavioural Research UK Leadership Hub funded by the ESRC, on the “resilient communities” workstream. This workstream aims to understand what behaviour change techniques can be applied to guide evidence-based prevention relating to sustainable and safe transport (particularly reducing speeding) and keeping children safe online in the UK.

You will have experience in key concepts and issues relating to behavioural research to address major societal challenges, including developing or evaluating interventions to change behaviour. You will bring expertise in carrying out qualitative and quantitative behavioural science research, including conducting literature reviews and working with an interdisciplinary research team. Ideally, you will also have experience in working on online child safety.

The post holder will produce findings on behavioural indicators and recommendations for disruption and deterrence of online child sexual exploitation and abuse offending. Results will inform the development of a set of guidelines for influencing behaviours that contribute to normative change around perceptions related to online offending being ‘less harmful’ than contact offending and misinformation in the privacy debates around this issue. Tasks may include conducting rapid systematic reviews of relevant literature, analysing survey data, conducting qualitative research and organising knowledge exchange and public involvement activities.

Your skills and attributes for success:

• A PhD (or near completion) in behavioural or social science (or considerable equivalent experience).

• Familiarity with key concepts and issues relating to behavioural research to address major societal challenges

• Experience of developing or evaluating interventions to change behaviour

• Experience of investigating or applying evidence, theories and techniques of behaviour change

• Experience in carrying out qualitative and quantitative behavioural science research

• Excellent scientific writing skills, with a peer-reviewed publication record commensurate with your career stage

Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens in a new browser tab).

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• A competitive salary.

• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.

• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community

• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new browser tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits
  

Championing equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens in a new browser tab).

On this occasion the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 22nd July 2025.

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.

Interviews are expected to be held in July 2025.