Salary
£31,387 to £38,784 per annum, pro rata depending on skills and experience (minimum £35,608 with relevant PhD). Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance.
Area
Classics & Archaeology
Location
University Park
Closing Date
Tuesday 31 March 2026
Reference
ARTS904826
Role Overview
The Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham is seeking a Research Associate/Fellow in digital curation and analysis to work on the AHRC-funded project Voices of Britain Under and After Rome. This 4‑year, multidisciplinary project will explore the diverse voices, identities, and cultural interactions that shaped early British history between the first century BCE and the seventh century CE. For more information, see project overview. The project will use datasets previously curated by team members which will be supplemented, enhanced, and analysed. Digital imaging, computational linguistics—including Large Language Models (LLMs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP)—will be applied to sociolinguistic tasks alongside traditional methods.
Core Responsibilities
* Data creation, enhancement, management, and curation for the project under the guidance of the Project Lead, Alex Mullen, including updating and refining the Digital Management Plan and working on Roman Inscriptions of Britain Online or digitising early post‑Roman stone inscriptions.
* Computational analysis using LLMs/NLP to detect linguistic variation across time, space, and social context within the richly encoded Roman Inscriptions of Britain Online dataset.
* Collaborative work with other team members and development of an independent and/or collaborative publication portfolio.
* Dissemination of results and reporting as directed by the Project Lead.
Candidate Profile / Qualifications
* Master’s degree in any subject and a PhD awarded or in progress, or equivalent professional qualification in Digital Humanities, Classics, Archaeology, Computer Science, Linguistics or related fields.
* Experience analyzing and interpreting datasets and applying critical evaluation to current methodologies.
* Proficiency in Python, experience in research data management (database management, documentation, version‑controlled workflows), and knowledge of Computational Linguistics.
* Desirable familiarity with database querying (e.g. SQL), structured textual data and text encoding practices (TEI/EpiDoc XML).
* Experience with AI model frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow or JAX is desirable.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non‑specialists.
* Ability to meet deadlines, manage administrative demands efficiently, and work effectively as part of a team.
* Publication record in relevant areas and knowledge of Latin and/or sociolinguistics is desirable, though training will be provided for those without prior experience of ancient world studies.
Diversity & Inclusion
We warmly welcome applications from under‑represented groups, regardless of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, socio‑economic background, disability, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, family circumstances, sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction. The University of Nottingham is a Disability Confident (Level 2) employer and has achieved the Athena Swan Gold Award.
Shortlisting & Application Process
Shortlisting is anonymous and based on criteria‑based questions. Application documents are not reviewed until shortlisting is completed.
Working Arrangements
This is a 48‑month, fixed‑term, part‑time 0.5 fte (18 hours per week) post commencing on 1 October 2026 or as soon thereafter until 30 September 2030. Higher fte up to 36.25 hours per week may be accepted over a short duration, subject to further approval. The candidate will attend scheduled online and in‑person meetings and events at the University, with extended periods of research potentially undertaken elsewhere in the UK.
Contact
Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor Alex Mullen (email: Alex.Mullen@nottingham.ac.uk). Applications must be submitted online; direct emails to the contact address will not be accepted.
#J-18808-Ljbffr