Department of Psychology
We are seeking to appoint two fixed term postdoctoral research staff, to conduct research within the Essex ESNEFT Psychological Research Unit for Behaviour, Health and Wellbeing (EEPRU) located within the Department of Psychology. We are looking for ambitious, collaborative individuals who will enhance our international reputation and further our mission to enhance understanding of psychological processes that impact upon the development, prevention, early detection, management and progression of illness and promotion of health and wellbeing.
We are a large and vibrant Psychology Department guided by our University’s founding principles of breaking new ground, of challenging existing expectations, and of making a meaningful difference in the world. To achieve these goals, we organise our research and our teaching under the broader theme of ‘Understanding Our Place In The World’. We approach our work within this novel framework across three areas of concentration: Thinking about the world, Interacting with the world, and Experiencing the world. This allows our staff to pursue their intellectual ambitions and to achieve research excellence, all while fostering an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach that utilises multiple methodologies.
We occupy purpose-built facilities including state-of-the-art EEG/ERP, eye-tracking, psycho-physiology and computerised testing labs. Researchers also have access to the Centre for Brain Science, which includes TMS, tDCS, fNIRS, virtual reality, pain and human sexuality testing facilities. We are internationally known for excellence in research, having been ranked in the top 20 in the UK for research power in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. We are proud to hold an Athena SWAN Silver Award (2020) for our work on promoting gender equality.
Duties of the Role
To deliver the research objectives of EEPRU for Behaviour, Health and Wellbeing. Functioning independently, you will help design, organize and conduct a series of experiments using established scientific protocols and procedures and in some cases designing new protocols under the direction of Professor Sheina Orbell and Associated Academic Staff.
A full list of the duties can be found in the attached job packs.
Please clearly indicate on your application which post(s) you wish to be considered for.
The successful candidate may be required to undertake duties in post which will require an enhanced DBS check, such as projects involving patient contact. Please could you indicate on your application if you have a current enhanced DBS check, or if you would be able meet the requirements of an enhanced DBS check.
Skills and qualifications required
The successful candidate for the Senior Research Officer post will possess a relevant doctoral level degree in psychology (thesis submitted prior to commencing employment) or equivalent professional experience or practice.
The successful candidate for the Research Officer post will possess a relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in an appropriate subject and/or Professional experience and/or practice in the fields of health.
You will be able to demonstrate research skills commensurate with your career position in relation to design, protocol development, ethics, setting up and conducting experiments, management of recruitment and data collection, testing, statistical analysis and reporting via internationally excellent publications. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to work both independently and cooperatively as a part of a team are essential. You will also need to engage in outreach and impact activities to support the Department’s vision in producing research that is relevant to society.
As part of the process and to be successful you will be required to demonstrate how you your research has been impactful within and beyond the academic sphere, recognising the importance of this and the effect it will have on the University.
The University of Essex is a campus based University and all academic appointments are made with the expectation that you will be present on campus to fulfil the requirements of your position. At the time of a job offer, the possibility of hybrid working, will be discussed and considered on an individual basis, but you will be required to be based within the UK.