Dr Oliver worked on and off within the Health Service as a psychologist between 1995 and 2009. This included working within a Community Psychology Service, a Medium Secure Unit, and then for a Parenting Assessment Service. In December 2009, Dr Oliver commenced working part-time in private practice, undertaking independent psychological evaluations predominately for the Family Courts, as well as working within the High Security Estate (HMPPS), which she continues to do.
Dr Oliver commenced working part-time at the University of Birmingham in 2001 where she was initially part of a research team contracted by the Home Office to evaluate the Prison Service Sex Offender Treatment Programme, specifically with regard to rapists and sexual murderers. In 2003, she was employed on a part-time basis by the University of Newcastle and underwent training as a Polygraph Examiner. Subsequent to this, Dr Oliver worked on a Government contracted nationwide pilot study examining the usefulness of polygraph testing with sex offenders on Licence from prison or subject to a Community Rehabilitation Order, and has conducted over a hundred individual polygraph examinations
In 2001, Dr Oliver completed her Masters in Forensic Psychology (with distinction) at the University of Birmingham, receiving the ATSA Graduate Research Award for this research, which was presented at the annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. In 2012, Dr Oliver completed her Doctorate in Forensic Psychology practice. She has worked for the University of Birmingham on the Doctorate in Forensic Psychology Practice since 2006 and became Course Director within the Centre for Applied Psychology in October 2017.