Research Associate

12696BR

School of Psychology

Research

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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, productive and skilled early-career scientist to join a team led by Professors Kim Graham and Andrew Lawrence (Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, CUBRIC) to work on a project funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Waterloo Foundation on the development of brain networks underpinning episodic and scene memory.
The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary research team at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) and, working closely with a second postdoctoral research associate, will be responsible for the collection and/or analysis of multimodal neuroimaging data sets examining the development of cortico-hippocampal networks and their role in visual scene processing and episodic memory, leading to the publication of high-quality research.
The successful candidate will have a PhD/DPhil in developmental cognitive/imaging neuroscience or related field (e.g., developmental psychology, statistics). Strong skills in the analysis of brain imaging data and statistical methods for longitudinal analysis (e.g. linear mixed models), manuscript preparation, and the ability to work effectively in a team are essential.  A primary interest in the neuroscience of memory and perception and/or the analysis of existing large-sample datasets is desirable.

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required due to the possibility that you might undertake studies with children

Informal enquiries may be made to Prof. Kim Graham ([email protected] ) or Prof. Andrew Lawrence ([email protected])
To find out more about the research team, you can visit the websites of Prof Kim Graham (https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/151224-graham-kim ) and Andrew Lawrence (co-PI)   https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/357091-lawrence-andrew ).
Facilities
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) houses a unique combination of state-of-the-art facilities and world-leading expertise, with 4 human MRI systems (2 x Siemens 3T Prisma, 1 x Siemens Connectom, 1 x Siemens 7T), MEG, EEG, TMS, tDCS, clinical research units and testing labs. Further details of CUBRIC can be found on our webpage (http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/cubric ). In addition, image analysis benefits from access to the national supercomputing research facility for Wales (https://www.supercomputing.wales/#hero )

This post is full time, fixed term and available immediately.  A term of up to 18 months will be offered, available to start immediately, and end before 18 March 2023.

Salary  £34,304 - £40,927 per annum (Grade 6).
Date advert posted: Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Closing Date: Sunday, 9 January 2022
This post has previously been advertised to employees of Cardiff University only.  We now invite external applications.

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 who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  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: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/our-research-environment/integrity-and-ethics/responsible-research-assessment”

Job Description

Main function

The post-holder will advance a developmental cognitive neuroscience research programme aligned to a newly awarded Wellcome ISSF/Waterloo Foundation grant on the development of brain networks underpinning memory. Working with a second postdoctoral research associate, the post-holder will be responsible for the collection and/or analysis of existing multimodal neuroimaging data sets examining the development of cortico-hippocampal networks and their role in visual scene processing and episodic memory, leading to the publication of high-quality research.
Main Duties and Responsibilities

Research
• To contribute to multimodal neuroimaging investigations of the development of cortico-hippocampal networks, using both new and existing datasets. This will involve contributions to implementation, analysis, curation, and reporting of multimodal neuroimaging studies (diffusion tractography, volumetrics)
• To develop and maintain reliable and reproducible analysis pipelines for multi-modal brain imaging data, sharing these effectively across the team as well as for open science requests as required
• To work jointly with the PIs and broader cross-institutional research team of developmental and imaging scientists in CUBRIC, CUCHDS and NMHRI to prepare research publications, undertake presentations at national and international conferences, and provide other summaries of the research undertaken (e.g., at regular lab meetings)
• To work in close collaboration with other members of the research team
• To perform administrative tasks associated with the research project, including contributing and organising project meetings, working collaboratively with lab managers, maintaining webpages and databases, and developing procedures required to ensure optimal lab practice
• To contribute to related on-going and future projects run by the PIs and the research team.
• To provide training and support on data analyses to other researchers and students at CUBRIC
• To contribute to the supervision of students, at undergraduate and postgraduate level, in methods and applications of cognitive neuroscience, including delivering training in imaging methods.
• To help develop research objectives and proposals for collaborative research and funding applications.

Other
• To help support our engagement with industrial, media, and public sector organisations, professional institutions, other academic institutions, nationally and internationally to raise awareness of research at the school.
• To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role in support of the overall activities of the research team and the School.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

1. A PhD degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., imaging neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, computer science or engineering/physics).
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Experience of analysing brain imaging data in one or more modalities (e.g. diffusion MRI, hippocampal volumetrics), using existing software packages.
3. Strong programming skills in Matlab, Python and/or R.
4. Experience in advanced statistical methods for longitudinal data analysis (e.g., linear mixed models).
5. Knowledge of research in the specialist field of human brain imaging and developmental cognitive neuroscience, and/or other areas of relevance to the successful delivery of the programme.
6. Experience of developing and maintaining imaging analysis pipelines
7. Commitment to open science.

Communication and Team Working

8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, evidenced by publications and conference presentations.
9. Strong interpersonal skills, including a proven ability to work cooperatively within a team of researchers and students

Desirable Criteria

1. Strong neuroanatomical knowledge, particularly around development of hippocampal-circuitry and hippocampal subfield segmentation, including using 7T MRI
2. Experience in advanced statistical methods in neuroimaging (e.g., multivariate analyses, network analyses, advanced tractography methods).
3. Experience in cognitive development and cognitive testing in developmental populations (children, adolescents)

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.
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 dedicated and passionate about teaching and conducting research in psychology. Our school is long established, well resourced, and has an excellent international reputation. We take an inclusive approach to education and fully support our students in achieving their learning goals.

We have a wide variety of academic staff, many of whom are professors conducting research at the forefront of psychology. In addition, we have both full and part-time research staff along with a substantial professional services support team.

We currently occupy all floors of the 12-floor Tower Building on the main University campus, together with additional Research Centres, CUCHDS, WICN Occupational and Health Psychology, and CUBRIC, our £44 million brain imaging and research centre.

We have been awarded the Athena SWAN silver award which recognises and celebrates supporting women in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research.

Research
Our internationally leading research delivers advances in knowledge and improvements in quality of life and in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) our research quality was ranked 2nd in the UK for Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience.

We undertake interdisciplinary scientific research under four contemporary research themes: Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, and Social & Environmental Psychology and, Developmental Health Psychology.
These four broad themes support ten smaller research groups that aim to understand the psychological and biological foundations of animal and human 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 optimising performance at work.

Teaching
We are one of the largest psychology departments in the UK, allowing us to offer well-resourced teaching and research opportunities in all areas of psychology, from neuroscience and brain imaging to social and developmental psychology, encompassing both basic science and applied aspects.

We offer a stimulating and rewarding place to teach, and Cardiff is a vibrant, growing capital city surrounded by outstanding natural beauty. These two qualities present unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional development.

Whether you come here to work, study or partner with our team of world-leading researchers you’ll be working with us to shape the profession of Psychology and improve patients' lives.

Job Category

Academic - Research