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Uni seeks 'research officer' for sex trade 'fieldwork'

Experience of lapdancing and vice girls? Apply here

It's well known that the online revolution is slowly but surely killing off the treepulp press. The chattering classses worry more about losing their broadsheets, but the syndrome is just as deadly for more downmarket papers. However, there's at least one ray of hope out there for distressed tabloid journos, where they can use their skills and earn money.

We refer, of course, to the glowing opportunities offered by becoming a government-funded researcher into the vice trade. Rather than probing the secrets of seamy boudoir transactions - among supermodels with large drug bills to pay off, sports bosses with certain specialised tastes etc - merely to titillate the readers, it's now possible to do the same thing in the interests of science.

We would draw the attention of any ex-Sun or NoTW scribe, currently swilling the Thunderbird of idleness in the wheelie-bin abode of impoverishment, to this job ad from the University of Leeds, sent in by a reader. (Can't think why they sent it to us.)

The job, to run for 21 months on a salary of £31,513 or less, calls for a "research officer" to look into "sexual labour and consumption in the night time economy". It is "based in Leeds, although some travel to other cities may be necessary".

"Some appropriate research experience" is a must, "as is prior experience of conducting research in the female sex industry" and "experience of interviewing" in such a context. A few years of making one's excuses and leaving would surely fit an applicant for the post.

Other qualities required include an interest in lap dancing, "qualitative and quantitative data collection" and "ability to work independently and as part of a team". The successful jobseeker will be "mainly responsible for access and fieldwork".

In addition to the £31k, we'd suggest the opportunities for a sexploitation blog during the project with followup book and TV deals could be considerable, if the thing was handled right.

A postgraduate degree in the social sciences is also desirable, apparently, but these are scarcely difficult to obtain.

Informal enquiries can be made to Doctor Teela Sanders at the University of Leeds. ®

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