Address
Form of work
Salary:
Research Assistant: £31,396 to £32,982 per annum
Research Associate: £33,966 to £36,024 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 30 June 2024
The Role
This is a unique opportunity for a motivated individual to join the Translational and Clinical Research Institute at Newcastle University as Research Assistant/Associate to work with us on an exciting research project, the Lewybodylab and the CNNP Lab. It will come under the Mental Health, Dementia and Neurodegeneration Research Theme.
You will be to work on large scale electroencephalographic (EEG) data, coupled with neuroimaging (functional MR) and clinical data to identify specific pathophysiological motifs in Lewy body diseases including dynamical changes in brain network activity. You will be responsible for shaping the research plan, developing collaborations internally and externally to develop your skills and prosecute the research, in conjunction with your supervisory team. You will develop the analysis techniques necessary for the work and you will write up your findings for presentation at international conferences and publication in high impact peer reviewed journals.
You will join a vibrant research group of international standing and join a cadre of clinical and non-clinical post-graduate students in the wider Institute and Faculty at the University. This position is also unique in being able to draw on the extensive experience of two complementary labs in Lewy Body dementia and in Computational Neurology. Together we therefore offer the perfect environment to develop the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers.
The post is full-time up to 12 months in the first instance with potential for extension. Part-time applications are also welcome. We are keen to develop and support you into an independent researcher, and this exciting project offers the perfect platform.
To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement, and you should outline how you meet the essential criteria of the role and evidence this with examples.
Please send informal enquiries to the Clinical Professor of Translational Dementia Research Consultant: john-paul.taylor@newcastle.ac.uk
Key Accountabilities
• Contribution to the research programme of the Translational and Clinical Research Institute under the clear guidance of members the academic staff / Principal Investigators
• Curate, pre-process and organise available datasets in house and facilitate and support the acquisition of data from external sources/collaborators
• Interact with other members of the Lewybodylab and CNNP Lab, including for example, Principal investigators, other co-principal investigators, associated Research Assistant/associates, laboratory technicians and post-doctoral scientists
• Interact with your supervisors, biostatisticians and bioinformaticians to discuss the data derived from your analyses and devise appropriate plans for analysis
• Prepare data for publication in relevant, high impact factor journals
• Lead on writing of key publications
• Provide guidance to other staff and students, potentially including supervision of undergraduate and Masters research project students
• Attend and present work at laboratory, Biomedical Research Centre and national/international meetings
• Be prepared to contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project
• Work to deadlines and manage, with support, competing priorities
• Ensure that personal knowledge and training in relevant fields of study is kept up to date, closely managed by a senior academic or Principal Investigators
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline
The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
• Evidence of significant academic aptitude (e.g. publications/presentations)
• Significant experience of advanced electrophysiological analyses
• Evidence of being able to conduct research in the area of medical data analysis or modelling
• Expertise in advanced statistical analyses
• Adept at programming
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent Database Management and record keeping
• The ability to work flexibly according to study needs
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems
• Excellent planning and organisation skills and ability to prioritise competing demands
• Expertise in electrophysiological approaches e.g. EEG, TMS, VNS etc
• Training in GCP and taking informed consent
Desirable
• Expertise in Neuroimaging methods (e.g. fMRI)
• Knowledge of dementia and its causes
• Knowledge of non-invasive brain stimulation approaches and their analyses
• Knowledge and analysis of multimodal data e.g. TMS-EEG
Attributes and Behaviour
• Able to work as part of a team but also independently
• Able to collect, organise and analyse complex datasets
• Conscientious
• Enthusiastic and curious
• Ability to work flexibly, and under pressure
Qualifications
• A PhD awarded (or nearing completion) in in Computer Science, Mathematics/Statistics, Physics, Neuroscience or a project-relevant subject
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 27294
