Postdoctoral Research Associate at Durham University

Durham, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

22 Mar, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

22 Dec, 25

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental Methods, Human Cognition, Motivation, Reward, Social Media Use, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Psychophysiology, Programming, Statistical Methods, Data Management, Research Collaboration, Presentation Skills, Teamwork, Communication Skills

Industry

Higher Education

Description

Working at Durham University A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community. Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential. Our Purpose and Values We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all. Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page The Department Founded in 1952, the Department of Psychology is consistently ranked as one of the very best in the UK with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Currently the department’s research falls within three groupings: Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental Science; Quantitative Social Psychology. Science; Quantitative Social Psychology. The department is extremely well-equipped for research, including cutting-edge facilities for psychophysiology, immersive virtual reality, TMS and EEG/ERP. Through collaborative links with the Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre (NMRC), the department has also access to state-of-the-art functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) facilities. The department benefits from full IT and mechanical research support from an outstanding team of departmental technicians, who will devote dedicated time to this project. The Role This ambitious project investigates the neural and behavioural mechanisms underlying social media use and overuse in young people. Funded by the Huo Family Foundation and spanning across four years, the large-scale project will use a range of methods and techniques to examine motivational and cognitive processes underlying regular and problematic social media use behaviours, including behavioural testing, psychophysiology, fMRI, as well as longitudinal (developmental) and qualitative (interview) approaches. The successful applicant will have primary responsibility for the psychophysiological and fMRI components of the project, which will involve large-scale experiments with older adolescents. In addition, the PDRA will have significant responsibility for the participatory elements of the project (e.g. leading focus groups with teenagers) and impact activities. Working closely with several RAs employed on the project, the PDRA will also contribute to a 2-year longitudinal study with younger adolescents and an interview study. There is a strong expectation that the role holder will make significant contributions to the programming of experimental tasks and lead the technical set-up of the paradigms. Supported by other RAs, the PDRA will lead the collection, management and analysis of large physiological, fMRI and behavioural data sets, using appropriate tools (R, Matlab, FSL, SPM) and advanced statistical techniques (e.g. linear mixed-effects models). The PDRA will have responsibility for writing up the study results for publication in high-quality journals and to disseminate them at scientific conferences or public engagement and outreach events. The role offers a unique opportunity to work on an exciting project that is at the forefront of a fast-moving research field and has significant potential for impact. The role holder will benefit from access to cutting-edge scientific equipment and be able to contribute to the project’s focus on theoretical advancement and scientific rigour. The PDRA will receive dedicated technical support and travel funding for conferences and collaboration. At the same time, the PDRA will be involved in driving meaningful and authentic impact related to problematic social media use in young people. You will report to Dr Niklas Ihssen as the Principal Investigator and Professor Mary Hanley as Co-Investigator of the project. Key responsibilities: To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications. To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences (adolescents, teachers, parents). To prepare high quality research outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator. To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals. To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator. To review scientific literature and maintain an up-to-date understanding of relevant fields. To programme experimental tasks and prepare experimental stimuli and material used in the project’s studies. To manage the recruitment of large sample of research participants. To personally collect data from both child and adult populations in the laboratory, including psychophysiological and fMRI studies (at the Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre). To curate and manage behavioural, physiological and brain imaging data, ensuring compliance with existing data management plans and relevant regulations. To engage in Open Science practices, such as pre-registration, data sharing, open access publishing and transparent reporting. To lead on the development of educational material (e.g. videos) and resources, which draw on the project’s findings and are aimed at generating impact. To work with the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio. To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator and offering creative or innovative solutions. To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration. To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects. To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate. To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and Research Assistants. To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline. To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses. Funding for this post is available from 1st March 2026 for a fixed period of 46 months, after which the project will end. The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols. Successful applicants should be in post by 1st March 2026 Working at Durham A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance. We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16. Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community. You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions. Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas. Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here. Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups. If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application. The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. Contact Information Department contact for academic-related enquiries For informal enquiries please contact Dr Niklas Ihssen, niklas.ihssen@durham.ac.uk. All enquiries will be treated in the stricktest confidence. Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays). University contact for general queries about the recruitment process How to Apply To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview. Submitting your application We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. What to Submit All applicants are asked to submit: a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below. Please include copies of any relevant journal publications you would like to highlight that cannot be found online (e.g., submitted/under revision/accepted).ny other additional documents the department feel would support the shortlisting process Next Steps The assessment for short-listed candidates will be an interview (online or in-person), including a short presentation from each candidate on their previous research and the specific skill set they would bring to the project. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment on a date to be confirmed. In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas. Person Specification Essential Criteria: Qualifications A good first degree or Master's degree in Psychology or a related subject. A PhD in Psychology, or Cognitive Neuroscience, with a focus on experimental methods and cognitive or neural processes in humans. Experience A strong academic track-record as evidenced by a record of publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at national or international conferences, commensurate with stage of career. Track-record of high-quality research on human cognition, motivation, reward or social media use. Experience in using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) OR psychophysiology. Experience in programming and using advanced statistical methods. Skills Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Desirable Criteria Experience A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics. Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals. Experience with conducting experimental research with children. Skills 13. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

Responsibilities

The role involves leading the psychophysiological and fMRI components of a project investigating social media use in young people. The post-holder will also manage data collection and analysis, prepare research outputs, and engage in public outreach activities.