Research Fellow (Postdoctoral)

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract up to March 2025

Role Summary

We are actively seeking a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral research fellow to join Dr KyungMin An’s group. The Dr KyungMin An’s group specializes in neuroimaging research on child development and developmental disorders, utilizing child-friendly neuroimaging tools.

This postdoctoral research fellow position is part of an exciting project funded by the BBSRC Pioneer Awards: Brain Mechanisms Underlying Emotional Processing in Infants. This research endeavours to unveil early emotional development using cutting-edge Optically Pumped Magnetometers (OPMs), specifically an infant-friendly brain imaging. We aim to optimise OPMs for infant brain imaging. We aim to use this system to investigate brain oscillations and connectivity during emotional voice and face processing in infants.

The successful candidate will play a crucial role in developing a comprehensive whole-head OPM system for infant brain recordings. Additionally, the candidate will design paradigms suitable for infants. Responsibilities include OPM recordings, preparing results and developments for high-quality academic publications, supervising students, and contributing leadership to the School of Psychology.

Main Duties

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor.
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding.
• Analyse and interpret data using Python or MATLAB.
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding.
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc.
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods with a focus on whole-head OPM systems.
• Undertake management/administration arising from research.
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration.
• Contribute to public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader.
• Contribute to open science approaches by sharing data and develop documentation to increase transparency.
• 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 must have a PhD (or close to completion) including topics of neuroimaging, human electrophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, experimental physics or an associated area.
• Working with children and infant is desirable.
• Cognitive neuroscience skills are important.
• High level analytical capability.
• Experience with Python or MATLAB.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Fluency in relevant techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones.
• 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.

For informal enquires contact Dr KyungMin An ([email protected] ).

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button.