Post-Doctoral Research in Digital Biomarker Discovery

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a 3-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to join a major new research programme transforming the diagnosis and management of suspected seizures. Starting in June 2026, this three-year role is central to a multi-million-pound project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to develop and deploy community-based EEG solutions.

About the role

The purpose of the role is to discover, test, and validate the sophisticated digital biomarkers required to interpret data from affordable, wearable EEG technology. Thousands of people face long waits for hospital-based EEG tests, often with inconclusive results. This project aims to change that. Your work will be at the heart of creating robust analytical tools that provide an early and accurate indication of the underlying causes of seizure-like events, including epilepsy, functional neurological disorder (FND), and dementia.

You will be affiliated with the Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER) unit, a research partnership between the University of Plymouth and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. You will work closely with the project’s Principal Investigator, Professor John Terry, and the Clinical Lead, Professor Rohit Shankar.

Working with an extensive database of clinical EEG recordings, your research will address the following key challenges:

• How can we develop and validate digital biomarkers to differentiate between epilepsy, FND, and syncope from EEG data?
• How do we stress-test biomarker performance against synthetic signal disruptions that mimic real-world data quality issues?
• Can we validate the performance of novel biomarkers using data collected from our new headset in community-based feasibility studies?

For more information on Peninsula Medical School please visit our dedicated webpage at https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools

For this role, you will need to be on site 3 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

Due to the nature of this role, a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check will be required.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact Professor John Terry: by email at john.terry@plymouth.ac.uk

What we’re looking for

Working with an extensive database of clinical EEG recordings, your research will address the following key challenges:

• How can we develop and validate digital biomarkers to differentiate between epilepsy, FND, and syncope from EEG data?
• How do we stress-test biomarker performance against synthetic signal disruptions that mimic real-world data quality issues?
• Can we validate the performance of novel biomarkers using data collected from our new headset in community-based feasibility studies?• What is the impact of reduced signal resolution and electrode coverage on the accuracy of functional connectivity and network neuroscience measures?
• Can machine learning models trained on high-quality clinical data be adapted to work effectively with lower-quality data from community settings?

Closing date:  12 midnight, Wednesday 22 April 2026

Application Process

Please apply online, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria outlined.

Following the closing date of the vacancy, you will be notified on the outcome of your application in due course.

Our Offer

Staff appointed within the Faculty of Health may be able to join the NHS pension scheme subject to eligibility criteria.

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