Academic Fellow in Corpus Sign Linguistics

Tue Mar 10 17:49:45 UTC 2009

For enquiries regarding this post, please contact Professor Graham H. Turner directly: g.h.turner at hw.ac.uk or +44 (0)131 451 4203.
Best wishes,
Svenja (with apologies for double-posting. I hope it is visible for all now.)

Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies, Heriot-Watt University

Research Councils UK - Academic Fellow in BSL Corpus Linguistics - Ref 06/09/W

Grade/Salary £28,839 - £35,469 (subject to experience and qualifications)

Closing Date: 31 March 2009

The School of Management & Languages is seeking to appoint an Academic Fellow to undertake a new five-year project aimed at developing a British Sign Language (BSL) learners' corpus. These prestigious Fellowships are awarded by RCUK subject to the institution guaranteeing an academic position following the end of the award.

The objectives of the BSL learners' corpus are to better understand issues in BSL as second language learning process, and to inform the teaching of corpus-based language learning techniques to BSL language students.

The ideal candidate will have completed a PhD or a postdoctoral research project on a topic in corpus linguistics or computational linguistics, or a language-focussed topic in informatics or computer science. Such a candidate will have commensurate knowledge of research methods used for (sign) language data collection, coding and analysis, and have proportionate experience in dissemination via publications and presentations.

You will have a strong, demonstrable interest in linguistics and in BSL. Experience of working with corpus technology and tools, including annotation software and concordancers, is a distinct advantage for this position.

As RCUK Fellowships are designed to facilitate the building of long-term research careers, the appointee will be expected to engage actively in all aspects of continually reproducing a world-class research environment, including delivering such features of research culture as postgraduate research training and generating innovative collaboration and enhanced research income.

Teaching experience is essential and a familiarity with current issues in (sign) language pedagogy desirable for this position. Since outcomes are likely to be directed towards international application, and to the development of bilingual professional skills (eg for interpreting) in sign language and English, a demonstrable understanding of interpreting practice and sign language skills in BSL and/or another sign language will be an advantage. While this is a research position, the research site is an academic language teaching and learning environment, and you will contribute to teaching delivery as part of the role.

You will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be able to take initiative and work independently whilst drawing upon supervision and the expertise of the project team. The appointee will carry significant responsibility for outreach to schools and other stakeholders as part of the University's Public Engagement strategy and will play a part in establishing a platform for further BSL development in Scotland. 

The University
Heriot-Watt University is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the UK and one of Scotland's leading providers in science, engineering, business management, languages and textiles, with six Schools - Built Environment; Engineering and Physical Sciences; Life Sciences; Management and Languages; Mathematical and Computer Sciences; Textiles and Design - and two postgraduate Institutes - Petroleum Engineering and the Edinburgh Business School.  There are 6,500 students and 1,650 staff on campus in Scotland and nearly 12,000 students on external and partnership programmes in 140 countries world-wide.  The main campus, where the School of Management and Languages is housed, is set in 380 acres of beautiful parkland in the greenbelt of western Edinburgh and within easy reach of the city centre.

The University is a vibrant forward-looking institution with a distinct international flavour and a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.  The academic ethos centres on the value and practical relevance of high quality research and teaching, and close partnerships with business, industry, the professions and the community. 

The Department
The Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt enjoys an excellent reputation as a pioneer in the provision of professionally-orientated language degrees. Through its first degree and postgraduate degree courses and research, the Department, established over 30 years ago, has established an international reputation as one of the very few centres in the UK, and the only one in Scotland, for the study of translation and interpreting. It currently teaches 8 languages in combination with English.

The Department has a growing research reputation reflected in the last Research Assessment Exercise, which recognised the majority of research submitted by LINCS as 'world-leading' 'internationally excellent' or 'internationally recognised' in terms of originality, significance and rigour. To act as a focus for the department's full range of activity in postgraduate education, professional training and practice, and in research and dissemination, the Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS) was established in 1994. Now, the Department's research specialities are Applied Bilingualism and Studies in European and International Cultures & Societies.

LINCS also has long-established close links with similar institutions in many countries in Europe and beyond. Regular student exchanges are in operation with these institutions. The School is a member of CIUTI, the International Standing Conference of University Institutes of Translating and Interpreting.

Sign Language Studies
The Department has a growing profile in the area of Sign Language Studies, housing since 1997 Scotland's only University programme in the field of sign language interpreting and translation. It has been at the forefront of taking forward the 'Linguistic Access' strategy for Scotland, aimed at securing a supply of high-quality professional service providers available to work with the Deaf community.

British Sign Language and associated areas of research (sign linguistics, Deaf Studies, etc) are expanding areas of interest and focus within LINCS. Staff are currently working on a number of externally-funded projects.  Of particular interest here is the BSL National Corpus project http://www.bslcorpusproject.org/: the means and ends of this project will form a major point of reference for the postholder.

The present post is a key appointment in implementing LINCS' programme of work in the field of Sign Language Studies and will be particularly central in developing the group's research profile and exploring links between teaching and research.

For full details, see http://www.hw.ac.uk/hr/v_academic.php#0609

For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Graham H. Turner g.h.turner at hw.ac.uk or +44 (0)131 451 4203.

Ref: 06/09/W

Closing date: 31 March 2009

Svenja Wurm
PhD student
Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh, EH14 4AS
Scotland

Tel.: 0131 451 4229
Email: sbw1 at hw.ac.uk

-- 
Heriot-Watt University is a Scottish charity
registered under charity number SC000278.

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