22 Oct
University of Birmingham
United Kingdom
Job Description:
Position Details
School of Psychology
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413, with potential progression once in post to £48,149
Grade: 7
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 24 months
Closing date: 10th November 2024
Background
People are at the heart of what we are and do. We want to attract outstanding, inspirational, and talented people, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. Working at the University of Birmingham gives you access to the best financial and physical resources, a beautiful campus and an intellectually stimulating and diverse community.
Our sector leading development programmes have made this a place where staff can thrive and recognition by Athena Swan, Stonewall, and Two Ticks demonstrates our commitment to supporting talented people from all backgrounds.
Summary of Role
We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the Skilled Action and Memory lab ( ), led by Katja Kornysheva, Associate Professor at the Centre for Human Brain Health and the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham. This position is part of a project funded by a UKRI Future Leadership Fellowship award, “Dissecting the Neural Code for Skilled Action Planning and Coordination” (£2.2M) for 4 years, with a potential grant extension of up to 3 years.
The lab studies the neural control of skilled movements and aims to develop non-invasive neurotechnology to assist and improve movement control in individuals with movement disorders. This research project will be conducted in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of postdocs, research assistants, and PhD students,
as well as external collaborators at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Imperial College London and University of Oxford, with a generous travel budget for research visits, training and conferences.
This 2-year postdoctoral position is available from 1st January 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. Salary will be at grade 7.
This postdoctoral scientist will conduct research on the impact of action type (handwriting and typing), kinematics, and training regime on the neural basis of planning and executing skilled movement sequences. They will utilise multimodal neuroimaging (concurrent EEG-MEG) and measurements of muscle activity and motor behaviour (e.g., EMG, force tracking).
The fundamental outcomes of this project will be relevant for the basic understanding of the neural control of skilled movements, as well as the development of brain stimulation protocols and brain-computer-interface (BCI) applications to boost performance in the context of neurorehabilitation.
The successful candidate will have a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, experimental / biological psychology, neuroscience, sport and exercise science or a related discipline, as well as strong experimental and computational skills. They will have the ability to act on their own initiative, excellent quantitative skills including programming (e.g. Matlab, R or Python) for the design and analysis of experiments. Experience of MEG and EEG data collection and basic analysis (preprocessing, TFR, ERP, plotting)
is essential. Advanced MEG/EEG analyses (forward and inverse models for source reconstruction, decoding, MVPA or RSA) is desirable but not necessary. We encourage candidates from diverse range of backgrounds who have an interest in research on the neural basis of skill learning, motor control and memory to apply.
Main Duties
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
- Contribute to the design, implementation, and analysis of experiments related to motor control and skill learning
- Conduct research using a variety of neuroimaging techniques such as EEG, fMRI, EMG, force tracking, kinematics, and concurrent EEG-MEG
- Develop and test behavioural training protocols
- Manage all aspects of research projects, including preregistration, data collection, documentation, analysis, and dissemination of research methods and results
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members including postdocs, research assistants, and PhD students, as well as external collaborators
- Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals
- Present research findings at national and international conferences (e.g. oral and poster presentations)
- Engage in knowledge exchange activities with external collaborators and stakeholders, such as research visits and training workshops, travel for research visits, training, as part of the collaborative project
- Assist in grant applications and communication with funding bodies as needed
- Contribute to the lab's overall research goals and help supervise junior lab members when appropriate
- Co-supervise research students in the lab (BSc and MSc projects thematically aligned with the research project
Person Specification
- PhD in cognitive neuroscience, experimental / biological psychology, neuroscience, sport and exercise science or a related discipline; candidates who are nearing completion must have completed their PhD viva/defence prior to the start date of the position.
- Peer-reviewed publications or preprints in relevant fields
- Proven experience with neuroimaging techniques, specifically EEG and fMRI
- Strong quantitative skills, including programming for data analysis (e.g., Matlab, R, or Python)
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team
- Excellent oral presentation skills
- Excellent communication and organisational skills
- Ability to design, implement, and analyse complex experiments related to skilled motor control and movement
- Motivation to contribute to innovative research on neurotechnology and motor control
Desirable Criteria:
- Experience with multimodal neuroimaging, specifically combining EEG and MEG.
- Experience with advanced analysis techniques such as decoding, MVPA (Multivariate Pattern Analysis), or RSA (Representational Similarity Analysis)
- Previous research in motor control and learning
- Previous experience working in interdisciplinary teams and international collaborations.
Application Materials
Please include a copy of your academic CV, as well a maximum 2-page cover letter outlining your motivation for applying for this position and fit to the position's selection criteria (11-point Arial font, standard, 2.54 cm margins).
Informal enquiries to Katja Kornysheva, email:
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone .