Research Assistant

The Early Learning and Neurodevelopment (ELAN)lab is seeking to appoint a highly motivated Research Assistant to join an ambitious and innovative research programme led by Dr Dean D’Souza, funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. This project aims to transform our understanding of how young infants adapt to the diverse environments in which they grow – drawing on cutting-edge developmental science, advanced technologies, and a combination of real-world and lab-based approaches.

This post presents an exceptional opportunity for an enthusiastic individual with a degree in Psychology or a related discipline (or nearing completion) to become part of a vibrant research team. The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience with infants, contribute to both home-based and lab-based testing, and develop skills in world-leading neuroimaging and behavioural methods.

The post holder will be an essential member of the research team and will contribute across a broad range of activities, including:

• Conducting home visits to families to collect rich, naturalistic data using infant head-mounted cameras, infant head-mounted eye-tracking, and observational methods.
• Supporting lab-based testing sessions, including the acquisition of eye-tracking and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data.
• Supporting participant recruitment, scheduling, and maintaining excellent communication with families.
• Carrying out data entry, coding, and annotation with precision and attention to detail.
• Assisting with the supervision and support of placement students.

Depending on the post holder’s interests, there may also be opportunities to contribute to data analysis, interpretation, and the dissemination of research findings.

This position is full-time, working on campus 35 hours per week, and fixed-term until 31st January 2028.

Some testing sessions may need to take place outside standard working hours, including occasional weekends, to support family availability. Time off in lieu will be provided.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Dean D’Souza (DSouzaD2@cardiff.ac.uk).

Salary: £33,951 - £36,636 per annum (Grade 5).

Please note that it is not expected that we will appoint above Grade 5, spine point 25 (currently £33,951 per annum.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl. bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It's an exciting and vibrant place to work with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

Research Environment

The ELAN lab is embedded within the Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science (CUCHDS) – a world-class facility for child development research. CUCHDS houses advanced eye-tracking systems, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and next-generation magnetoencephalography with optically pumped magnetometers (OPM-MEG). The School of Psychology is one of the UK’s leading centres for research in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, ranked 6th in the UK for research power (REF 2021).

The successful candidate will join a supportive, collaborative, and intellectually vibrant research environment that values innovation, excellence, and the highest standards of scientific practice.

We are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive research culture. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who are underrepresented in psychological science.

Closing date: Thursday, 19 February 2026

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

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