Researcher

Sheffield Hallam University - College of Business, Tech. & Engineering

The Role

CENTRIC is currently seeking to appoint a Researcher to join our team working in an applied law enforcement context. The position spans the full lifecycle of applied work: understanding operational needs, analysing the existing landscape of evidence, approaches, and tools, and supporting the assessment and testing of new technologies.

The successful candidate will work across a range of activities, including conducting landscape reviews and evidence assessments, engaging with end users to understand operational requirements, and supporting the testing and evaluation of emerging technologies. This is a hands-on role suited to someone who is motivated by impact, has a problem-solving mindset and is comfortable working at the interface between research, practice, and technology.

You will work closely with the Head of Innovation and contribute to a range of CENTRIC projects, such as DETECTOR (deepfake detection), ENSEMBLE (cybercrime) and IAMI (intelligence extraction), as well as other funded projects as required. The role will require flexibility and a willingness to adapt and develop your expertise in a range of areas in the security domain. Existing knowledge of areas such as cybercrime, artificial intelligence, and investigations will be highly beneficial.

In this role, you will develop strong links with universities, law enforcement agencies, intergovernmental organisations, and industry, from the UK and in Europe, and have the opportunity to work closely with researchers and practitioners with a wide range of technical expertise.

The Department

The Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) is a multidisciplinary, security-focused research centre at Sheffield Hallam University. We collaborate with research, government, industry and security stakeholders to address contemporary security challenges at the local, national and international levels. We are a diverse team of researchers, technology specialists and security experts focused on delivering tangible solutions for law enforcement and other security stakeholders.

We aim to bridge the gap between cutting-edge applied research and the operational reality of policing and security, building a safer society for all. We work to transform innovative ideas into outcomes that protect and safeguard our communities, shape the landscape of policing and security practices, and ensure a more resilient future. Our collaborative ethos ensures practitioners, policymakers and researchers have a platform to work together to deliver exceptional applied research in the security domain.

Our work focuses on the following key domains:

• Artificial intelligence in policing and security
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Counter-terrorism and national security
• Crisis management and disaster resilience
• Cybercrime and online harms
• Open-source intelligence and investigation
• Serious and organised crime.

You can find out more about CENTRIC at https://centric-research.co.uk/about

As part of this role, you may need to undergo background checks in line with the Baseline Personnel Security Standard.