Postdoctoral Research Associate

Contract Duration: 36 months

The Role

A 36-month fixed-term full time post-doctoral Research Associate position is available at the Department of Psychology at Durham University, UK. The successful candidate will join a research project led by Prof Holger Wiese in collaboration with Dr Soazig Casteau and Dr Ulrik Beierholm, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The project aims to understand the cognitive and neural underpinnings of how we learn new faces. You will combine psychometric, behavioural, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological (EEG/ERP) measures to investigate how faces become represented in the brain over time, as well as how situational factors and individual differences (both with respect to the learner and the to-be-learnt face) influence this process. The project team will investigate these questions using state-of-the-art computational modelling approaches. You will have a purpose-buil! t and ful ly equipped EEG and eye-tracking lab at your disposal to develop novel experimental paradigms and cutting-edge data analysis techniques. Research costs will be fully covered by the grant. You will work alongside a collaborative and dynamic team addressing complementary research questions.

The successful applicant will be expected to have a background in visual perception and/or face recognition research. Methodological experience with EEG, eye-tracking and/or computational modelling is desirable.

Responsibilities:

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• 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.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term for 36 months, as ESRC funding is currently available for this fixed period only.

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