Postdoctoral Research Fellow Full-time

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will lead research projects as part of a program of work asking “How does the brain map sounds into the world?” The project is funded by Wellcome and supervised by Prof Jennifer Bizley at the UCL Ear Institute. The project aims to understand how the brain constructs a representation of auditory space, through mapping neural activity in freely moving animals as they navigate through a sound field. You will lead a small team working to define active sensing strategies and auditory cortical responses during navigation.

The Bizley lab is split across three sites; the EI, central UCL and the Royal Veterinary College in Camden. The Ear Institute has circa 75 staff located in a multi-disciplinary facility dedicated to understanding the mechanisms of hearing and the causes of deafness. The Institute together with its partner, the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital (RNTNEH), is a major national and international centre for specialist training and research, hosting a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Theme in 'Deafness and Hearing Problems'. To find out more about our research and teaching visit http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/.

About the role

We seek a PDRA who can lead a small team of researchers working collaboratively to define the active sensing strategies animals use to track sound location. You will have excellent organizational abilities, strong communication skills and a desire to work collaboratively. The successful candidate will have be comfortable programming in matlab and python, and have proven data analysis skills with electrophysiology and/or video data. A background in auditory neuroscience and experience working with ferrets or other animal models would be an asset.

This is a fixed term role, funded from 01.04.26-31.03.28 in the first instance.

Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Grade 6B (salary 39807-£42891 per annum) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD Thesis.

This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

About you

You will have a PhD in neuroscience, hearing sciences, engineering or a related discipline. You will have experience performing experimental work with animal models, and strong coding skills in python and/or matlab. You will work to establish eye tracking methods, and to analyze data (existing and new) from chronically implanted Neuropixels probes, recorded during behaviour. You will prepare these data for publication and present your work at international conferences. Working in our lab requires not only that you are enthusiastic and committed to your research, but that you are an excellent communicator and team player.

Informal enquiries should be directed to j.bizley@ucl.ac.uk. Interviews will be held the week of March 16th, with the successful candidate starting in April or as soon after as is practical.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, UCL offer some great benefits:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Our department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.