Postdoctoral Researcher (Phase 2)

Reporting to Dr Natalie Kyneswood, the post holder will be based at the Centre
for Socio-Legal Studies as a Postdoctoral Researcher during Phase II of the
Wellcome funded project: ‘Care in the Courtroom: Trauma-informed Specialist
Courts and the Medicalisation of Justice’.





This five-year, interdisciplinary project explores the role of trauma informed
care and neuroscience in transforming trial procedures, courtroom
environments, and the treatment, questioning and wellbeing of victims of
sexual violence. It will do so through in-depth, empirical case studies
examining the emergence of specialty courts and trauma-informed justice in the
UK. Throughout the project, the team will work closely with victim-survivors
and UK government to evaluate the pilot of Specialist Sexual Violence Support
(SSVS) project courts in England and the creation of a trauma-informed Sex
Offence Court for Scotland.



The Postdoctoral Researcher will contribute to research activities and outputs
during Phase II of the project - the English Case Study investigating SSVS
pilot project courts. This includes data collection, including court
observation and participants interviews, coding and analysis of data, the
development of project findings, the co-creation of a report on Phase II
findings and co-authorship of a journal article on SSVS courts.





The postholder will be responsible for researching the provision of ‘enhanced
support measures’ at one of two SSVS project court sites that form part of the
case study, namely Snaresbrook Crown Court (London). It is therefore essential
that post holder is ordinarily based in London, or at least resident in London
during the duration of the fieldwork, so that they can travel to Snaresbrook
Crown Court (to attend and observe court hearings) and surrounding areas
(North London and East London) to interview victim-survivors who have relevant
experience of SSVS court processes. Travel expenses will be reimbursed but
accommodation costs are not provided.





The successful candidate should hold or be close to completion of a relevant
PhD/DPhil, together with relevant experience; possess sufficient specialist
knowledge in Socio-Legal Studies, Law of Evidence, Psychology or Psychiatry to
carry out the research required; manage their own academic research and
associated activities; demonstrate previous experience of contributing to
report writing, scholarly publications and presentations at conferences,
meetings, or research dissemination events; have experience of conducting
empirical research, especially in sensitive research areas and with vulnerable
participants; command excellent communication skills, including the ability to
write for publication and present research proposals and results to a range of
audiences, e.g., academics, stakeholders and policy makers. Experience of
working with victim-survivors of sexual abuse in a professional, voluntary or
academic capacity and an understanding of the neurobiology of trauma and
trauma-informed approaches to care in medical or criminal justice settings is
desirable.



This post is full time and fixed term for 12 months from 1 October 2025 until
30 September 2026. The postholder will be based at the Centre for Socio-Legal
Studies, Manor Road, Manor Road Building, OX1 3UQ and will be required to be
in the office for a minimum of 3 days a week during term time and when not
undertaking fieldwork activities.





Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via University website.
You will be required to submit a supporting statement, a CV, and a sample of
your written work, published or unpublished, as part of your application.
**Note that the written work should be sent in a single email in one pdf file
to the Faculty HR Team,** **recruitment@law.ox.ac.uk**.





The closing date for applications is 12 noon, midday on Monday 2 June 2025.
Interviews will be held, in-person, on Monday 23 June 2025 at the Centre for
Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford. **Shortlisted** applicants will be
asked to arrange for two references to be submitted before interviews take
place.