Research Specialist in Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Full-time NEW

Research Specialist in Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Would you like to work on pioneering brain imaging in a cutting-edge research environment? NatMEG is seeking a research specialist in magnetoencephalography (MEG) at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, with a focus on OPM-MEG (optically pumped magnetometers). Here, you will have the opportunity to develop new methods and applications within cognitive and clinical neuroscience, collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment and advance your career in both research and teaching at Karolinska Institutet.

MEG (magnetoencephalography) is a non-invasive method for measuring brain activity by recording the very weak magnetic fields generated when nerve cells are activated. The technique has very high temporal resolution (milliseconds) and is used both in research and in clinical practice, for example to map brain function and epileptic foci.

OPM-MEG (Optically Pumped Magnetometer MEG) is a new generation of MEG in which the sensors consist of optically pumped magnetometers rather than the traditional superconducting sensors (SQUIDs) that must be cooled with liquid helium. The OPM sensors can be placed directly on or near the head, which provides stronger signals, better spatial resolution and enables measurements to be taken whilst the person is moving. The system can also be adapted to different head sizes, from children to adults.

Your Mission

You will mainly work with research and development and application of MEG-based brain imaging applications in cognitive and/or clinical neuroscience. The development will focus particularly on OPM systems and methods. You will work as Unit Manager at NatMEG and provide support to users. You are also expected to conduct teaching in brain imaging (primarily MEG) conduct supervision of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in the subject, as well as providing support for users at NatMEG.

Eligibility Requirements

For employment as Research Specialist at Karolinska Institutet, the eligibility requirements stated in the Guidelines for non-teaching positions at Karolinska Institutet are applied in relation to the established profile of employment.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented postdoctoral research experience.

We are looking for someone who is meticulous, flexible and skilled at managing several projects simultaneously. You will also need to be comfortable in a leadership role and have the ability to drive projects forward. You will be working in an environment where you will collaborate closely with specialists from a range of different fields and organisations, so your ability to collaborate and communicate is therefore of great importance.

The role also requires:

• a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, medical technology or another field relevant to the position
• documented experience of research and methodology development in MEG and OPM-MEG
• previous experience of leading, coordinating and developing research activities, research infrastructure or other advanced technical activities
• excellent ability to express oneself orally and in writing in English

Assessment Criteria

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown:

• experience of providing user support in the field of advanced brain imaging
• experience of combining MEG with other brain imaging methods, such as MRI or PET
• comparative studies of EEG, conventional MEG and on-scalp MEG
• documented experience of teaching and course coordination at Master's or PhD level
• experience of supervising Master's students, PhD students or postdoctoral researchers
• leading authorship of scientific publications, including review articles

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown:

• experience of developing MEG applications focused on neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease
• established national and international research collaborations
• experience of securing research grants through regional, national or international competitive funding
• presented research and undertaken scientific roles at international conferences

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

What Do We Offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna