Research Assistant (2 posts)

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Research Assistant (2 posts)

The School of Psychology has TWO exciting new Research Assistant positions developing novel treatments for depression and PTSD through the manipulation of memory in sleep.

Targeted Memory Reactivation in sleep to alleviate PTSD. This post will focus on the triggering of negative memories in REM sleep in order to decouple the arousal and render them less upsetting

Targeted Memory Reactivation in sleep to alleviate Depression This post will focus on the triggering of positive memories in sleep to improve low mood.

These are 3.5 year positions and successful candidates will be encouraged to complete a PhD as a staff candidate during their employment.

This project is funded by the Wellcome Trust on a multi centre grant lead Penny Lewis , who specializes in the study of what sleep does to our memories, and is based at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC). The post-holder join a team of researchers including Depression researcher (and Consultant Psychiatrist) Neil Harrison, PTSD specialist (and Consultant Psychiatrist) Jon Bisson at the Welsh National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH), and Tim Denison, who leads a team of research engineers who have developed the wearable device which we will use in this project.   

Cardiff University’s Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC ) is one of the best equipped neuroscience institutes in Europe, housing 3 MRI scanners, including a 7T and a Connectom scanner, a MEG, EEG labs, a brain stimulation lab, and of course the state of the art sleep lab.  The Welsh National Centre for Mental Health is right next door. The Neuroscience and Psychology of Sleep (NaPS ) group is housed within CUBRIC, and conducts world-leading research on the impacts of sleep on cognitive processes. 

Cardiff is a beautiful green city with easy access to the coast (beaches) and hills (Brecon Beacons and similar).  

This post is available immediately, full time and fixed-term for a period of 3.5 years.

Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5)

Date advert posted: Tuesday, 5 December 2023

Closing date: Sunday, 4 February 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University

Job Description

Main Function
To contribute to research within specialist area of sleep engineering, carrying out supporting work that helps lead to the publishing of high-quality research. To pursue excellence in research and to inspire others to do the same.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To undertake research, e.g. by planning, preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcome of experiments.
• To use wearable devices to measure sleep and deliver TMR, to develop protocols for running experiments with these devices.
• To collect and analyse EEG and behavioural data and assist in training junior members of the team to help with these tasks.
• To undertake administrative tasks associated with the research project, including the planning and organisation of the project and the implementation of procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
• To support and prepare research ethics and research governance applications as appropriate
• To review and synthesise existing research literature within the field.
• Actively participate within the research group, communicating and presenting research at meetings, through publications and other recognised avenues as appropriate, ensuring information is communicated to internal and external partners
• To contribute and support research publications and presentations as required
• To contribute and support research funding bids as required
• To analyse and communicate complex ideas, concepts and data using appropriate methods and packages
  To resolve issues and support colleagues in devising procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting
• To generate research output and contribute to the development of independent  and original ideas as appropriate
  To provide support in research activities for undergraduate courses and research programmes and provide guidance to other members of staff within the research team
• To maintain and update area of specialist knowledge, researching and critically appraising relevant literature within the area.

Other

• To participate in School administration and activities to promote the School and its work to the wider University and the outside world
• To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
• To ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• To abide by the University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

MSc and/or Bachelors degree.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Knowledge of research methods and techniques within specialist field

• Sleep and Memory
• EEG analysis (ERPs and Time Frequency
• Sleep scoring

 

Proven ability to analyse complex information and summarise appropriately

Knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding to be able to develop applications to  funding bodies

Communication and Team Working

Proven communication skills, including presentation to various audiences

Excellent organisational and team-working skills

Other

Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and teamworking within work.

Desirable Criteria

Experience of:

• Programming in Python or Matlab
• Machine learning
• Analysis of sleep graphoelements (spindles and slow oscillations)

 

Proven ability to work without close supervision

Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.

Interest in pursuing a PhD.

Additional Information

Evidencing Criteria - It is School of Psychology’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing.  Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable.  As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.  Please ensure when submitting this document/attaching it to your application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number i.e. 12345BR.
If candidates do not provide written evidence of meeting all the essential criteria then their application will not be progressed.

Cardiff School of Psychology

We are recognised internationally for sustained excellence in research, impact and research-led teaching. We are a large School with over 50 academic staff, over 600 undergraduates and 150 postgraduate students. In the last assessment the School attained the highest rating of ‘excellent’ for its teaching from the HEFCW Teaching Quality Assessment Panel.
Many individuals in the School are leading figures in their research areas. In the last Research Excellence Framework we entered as a unit of over 80 staff with our colleagues in Psychological medicine. We were placed 2nd in our topic area across the UK. We have state of the art laboratories and experimental expertise across the range of psychology, and are currently building one of the largest and best equipped imaging centres in Europe (see: sites.cubric.cardiff.ac.uk).
Our collective aim is to understand the psychological and biological foundations of behaviour at both individual and group levels. The research undertaken in the School ranges from 'synapse to society', and includes normal behaviour in development and adulthood, the breakdown of cognition after stress, trauma and in neurological and/or genetic conditions, as well as key psychological issues of broad importance to society, such as prejudice, reproductive health and understanding risk. The School also contributes to cross-disciplinary University Research Institutes in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sustainable Places, and Energy Systems Research. 

Job Category

Academic - Research