Research Fellow (MTBI) - School of Psychology - 98386 - Grade 7

Position Details

School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences 

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK 

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £31,406 to £40,927. With potential progression once in post to £43,434 a year.

Grade 7  

Full Time / Fixed Term Contract for up to 12 months

Closing date: 27 October 2021

Background
The Centre for Human Brain Health at University of Birmingham is seeking to recruit a postdoctoral research fellow in the field of MEG. This is part of a large, multi-centre, Ministry of Defence-funded programme whose aim is to identify novel, accurate, biomarkers which predict prognosis of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). Your role will be to set up the MEG studies for this programme of work. 
mTBI is common with 1.4 million hospital visits due to head injury annually in the UK. Although classified as mild it leads to disproportionate impact on future health with 31% unable to work at 12 months. The consequences of mTBI are profound with many patients suffering long-term disability due to persistent headaches, imbalance, memory disturbance, and poor mental health. Identifying those patients most at risk of these disabling consequences is not currently possible. This represents a clear unmet need as it would allow targeting of treatments to improve patient outcomes. MEG measures show potential as biomarkers from small cohort studies and will be assessed their potential as biomarkers with multiple other measures in this programme.

Summary of Role
The candidate will set up MEG experiments to investigate patients with mTBI as well as design and apply the data analysis pipeline. The successful candidate will work closely with researchers at the Centre for Human Brain Health at University of Birmingham, The  Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham and at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University as studies are set-up across sites. 

Main Duties/Responsibilities
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
•    Develop research objectives and proposals in the context of the mTBI consortium, with the assistance of a mentor if required
•    Setting up and aligning the MEG studies across the 3 sites 
•    Analyse and interpret MEG data using Matlab or Python tools 
•    Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
•    Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
•    Provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
•    Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
•    Undertake management/administration arising from interacting with the consortium
•    Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
•    Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters 
•    Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research 
•    Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
•    Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture

Person Specification
•    The successful candidate(s) must have a Ph.D. in neuroimaging, human electrophysiology, cognitive neuroscience or an associated area. 
•    Candidates should be experienced in MEG or EEG data acquisition 
•    In particular, candidates should be experienced in analysizing EEG/MEG data including  programming using Matlab and/or Python 
•    High level analytical capability
•    Experience in working with patients desirable 
•    Experience in working on larger cohort studies desirable 
•    Ability to communicate complex information clearly
•    Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
•    Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
•    Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
•    Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
•    Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly

Informal enquiries to Ole Jensen: [email protected] or Hyojin Park: [email protected]

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment 

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working