Job Description

Job id: 073006. Salary: \xc2\xa342,405 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 18 August 2023. Closing date: 23 August 2023.

Business unit: IoPPN. Department: Psychological Medicine.

Contact details: Paola Dazzan. Paola.dazzan@kcl.ac.uk

Location: Denmark Hill Campus. Category: Research.

Job description

The postholder will work as Post Doc in the processing and analysis of large imaging, clinical and cognitive datasets acquired in the context of studies on the potential utility of structural MRI, Diffusion Tensor Imaging and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in prediction of clinical outcome, in clinical and non clinical populations, and in the integration of these data across imaging modalities, and with clinical and socio-environmental data, using innovative approaches.

The post-holder will contribute to the study PRECOGNITION (Learning latent cognitive profiles to predict psychosis), funded by the Wellcome Trust, collaborating with PIs in The Netherlands (Prof Andre Marquand) and other centres. The overall study aim is to apply normative models (\'cognitive growth charting\') to cognitive measures derived from tens of thousands of healthy individuals and individuals with psychosis from various datasets in order to infer early risk factors and predict functioning in psychosis at the individual level. This opportunity would suit candidates with either a background in mental health and neurosciences and with a strong record in computing.

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract for 2 years.

Key responsibilities

• The pre-processing and management of datasets.
• Calibration of data from multiple datasets.
• The application of methods for morphological, DTI and fMRI analyses.
• The application of machine learning, deep learning, and other approaches to neuroimaging data analysis.
• The development and application of advanced analytical bioinformatics approaches that permit modelling of normative and pathological brain growth using big data, and integration of data from different time points, and from both imaging and non-imaging modalities.
• Work closely with the other researchers in the team.
• Organize and implement analyses of brain imaging data using both volumetric and other morphological approaches, machine learning algorithms, brain growth modelling.
• Contribute to the development of a study imaging database and data entry.
• Promote an effective collaborative relationship with related projects.
• Contribute to reports, and dissemination of findings and papers at internal and external academic meetings and conferences.
• The successful candidate will also be encouraged to develop their own research interests.
• Other relevant activities as directed by Prof. Paola Dazzan.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. PhD awarded or near completion in Neuroscience, in a subject with application of neuroimaging to the study of mental health disorders.

2. Excellent understanding of clinical psychiatry, particularly of risk factors, presentation, and clinical outcomes.

3. Research experience in neuroimaging and analysis of large datasets.

4. Decision making relating to research planning.

5. Writing and publishing papers.

6. Good organisational and time management skills.

7. Demonstrable excellence in conducting scientific research.

8. Previous experience of research in multicentre studies

9. Willingness to travel on project business when required.

Desirable criteria

1. A degree in a subject related to mental health (e.g. medicine, psychology)

2. Ability to prepare ethical, research and development and research governance applications.

3. Presenting results at conferences.

4. Supervising junior researchers.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further information

The applicant will be required to collaborate with other groups outside of the United Kingdom and this may require travelling abroad.

King\'s College London