Research Assistant/Associate Neuronal Circuits

Salary:
Research Assistant: £31,396 to £32,982 per annum
Research Associate: £33,966 to £44, 263 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent . 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: 04 April 2024
The Role
We are looking for a post-doctoral research scientist for an MRC (UK) funded project on Neuronal circuits for perceptual inference.
This work will be based at Newcastle University, UK (Faculty of Medical Sciences, lead supervisor Dr Yuki Kikuchi) and the goal of the research is to directly assist medical science by providing insights on neuronal mechanisms, circuits and networks that support cognition in a primate model.
The research will involve cutting-edge laminar-neurophysiology, laminar-fMRI and neuronal optogenetic studies of prefrontal and auditory circuits in nonhuman primates. This will include understanding laminar information flow pathways for cognition in the brain and controlling neurons using laser light. You will have the opportunity to receive training in state-of-the-art neurobiological technology and support with career development in a collegial environment.
You should have a strong academic record, relevant experience, including empirical and analytical skills, and strong presenting and writing skills. Experience with neurophysiology, fMRI/EEG and cognitive testing is desired.
This post is fixed term for a period of 3 years.
For informal enquiries contact: Dr Yuki Kikuchi ( )
Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here:
Find out more about our Research Institutes here:
As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.
Key Accountabilities

• Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value'
• Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
• Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
• Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
• May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
• Conduct the animal research to the high ethical standards and always under the regulations of the Home Office project license
• Always work in a professional and highly collegial manner, working independently or as part of the research team to solve problems and overcome delays

The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
• Detailed subject knowledge
• Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
• Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications

Desirable

• Animal research and behavioral training experience, or relevant human research experience
• Experience with signal processing, programming (Matlab/Python) and advanced analysis and statistical testing
• Experience with fMRI/EEG or neurophysiological recordings

Attributes and Behaviour

• Professional and collegial individual that works independently and as part of a team
• Ability to progress on weekly and longer-term objectives with support from the supervisors
• Ability to communicate clearly both in written and spoken form

Qualifications

• A PhD in neuroscience or a relevant life sciences area for Research Associate
• Completing PhD student can be considered and appointed at Research Assistant grade until the PhD degree has been obtained for Research Associate promotion and appointment
• Honors degree in relevant subject or may be working towards or close to submission of a PhD for Research Assistant

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 award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a 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: 26827