Research Fellow

**Position Details**

School of Psychology

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to May 2026

Closing date: 24th November 2025

Interviews Scheduled: 10th December 2025

2 Positions Available

**Background**

Applications are invited for two Full-time Post-doctoral Research Fellow positions for the Brain Imaging workstream of mTBI-Predict, with an expected start date of 01/12/2025 and a fix-term duration of 6-months. mTBI-Predict is a multiyear research study funded by the UK Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence.

The overarching aim of the mTBI-Predict Study is to identify accurate, reproducible biomarkers in mTBI that will predict the most common and disabling consequences of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI): persistent post-traumatic headache, cognitive dysfunction, depression, PTSD, dizziness and delayed return to work. This will be achieved through a harmonised programme of detailed clinical phenotyping of acute mTBI patients coupled with state-of-the-art multimodal biomarker evaluation (brain imaging, fluid biomarkers, steroid hormones, visual, vestibular, cerebral physiology, and EEG).

To apply, please upload a cover letter and CV.

**Role Summary**

- Work within the Neuroimaging Workstream in the mTBI-PREDICT project and contribute to writing bids

- Operate within area of specialism

- Analyse existing structural / functional MRI data (including diffusion weighted imaging), interpret research findings and results and wontribute to the writing up of manuscripts.

- Contribute to generating funding

**Main Duties**

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

- Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding
- Analyse and interpret data as directed; this may be through a variety of research methods
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods in analysis and management of brain structure or function.
- Participate in research team meetings
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
- Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
- Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
- Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

**Person Specification**

Essential:

- Undergraduate degree (BSc/MSci) in Psychology, Neuroscience, Physics Engineering, Mathematics or appropriately related discipline **and**PhD (near to completion, finished or thesis submitted) in neuroimaging or associated area
- Significant experience in the field of human imaging, in particular variety of experience in using MRI for assessing brain structure (Fellow 1) or function (Fellow 2)
- Significant experience analysing diffusion weighted imaging (and in particular using diffusion tensor methods) of human participants (Fellow 1 only)
- Experience conducting neuroimaging analyses on high performance computers (HPC), such as BlueBEAR or similar
- Cooperative nature and strong teamwork skills, with a willingness to work as part of a large multi-disciplinary team
- Strong computer programming skills. Specifically, experience in the use of Matlab and/or Python
- Extensive experience using FSL and / or SPM
- High level analytical capability
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
- Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Desir