About the Role
1. The role offers scope for professional development, including opportunities to train in EEG/EMG methodologies, contribute to supervision of MSc and PhD students, and participate in departmental seminars and collaborative meetings.
2. You will also be encouraged to attend and present at national and international conferences, with support for early-career researcher development embedded into the project team.
3. Based in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, you will play a central role in the day-to-day delivery of the project. This will include participant recruitment and communication with families, preparing and running testing sessions, managing and processing data, and contributing to protocol development and refinement.
4. You will also have the opportunity to lead or support data analysis and contribute to academic publications and dissemination events.
5. This postdoctoral role will sit within the department's growing body of work on child motor control, neurodiversity, and applied neuroscience.
6. The successful candidate will benefit from access to world-leading facilities in our Wolfson ACTIVE Research Lab, including cutting-edge neuroimaging technologies such as EEG, fNIRS, and a 3T MRI scanner, alongside embedded forceplate treadmills and motion capture systems.
7. This is a primarily on-site role, with some flexibility, to support participant testing and team collaboration. The research team typically meets in person on designated days to coordinate data collection and engage in collaborative problem-solving.
Key Responsibilities
8. Lead the delivery of EEG, EMG, and balance testing sessions with children aged 7–13, including participant preparation, equipment setup, and safe, child-friendly protocol implementation.
9. Support participant recruitment, screening, and scheduling in coordination with schools, parents, and relevant community networks.
10. Process and analyse neurophysiological data (e.g. EEG event-related potentials, EMG response windows) and balance metrics using appropriate software (e.g. MATLAB, EEGLAB, BrainVision Analyzer).
11. Manage research data in line with ethical and GDPR standards, including anonymisation, secure storage, and documentation of participant files.
12. Collaborate with internal team members and external research partners to ensure scientific quality, technical accuracy, and developmental appropriateness of experimental procedures.
13. Contribute to the dissemination of findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and stakeholder engagement events (including a planned science day with participants and families).
14. Assist with the supervision and training of MSc students working on related projects within the department.
15. Participate in project meetings, departmental seminars, and interdisciplinary workshops; contribute to the preparation of ethics amendments, progress reports, and future research proposals.
Key Skills & Experiences
Qualifications:
16. A PhD (or near completion) in neuroscience, psychology, biomedical sciences, kinesiology, sport and exercise science, or a closely related discipline.
Essential Experience and Skills:
17. Experience conducting human participant research, preferably involving children or neurodivergent populations (e.g. DCD, autism, ADHD).
18. Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and empathetically with children and their families.
19. Familiarity with neurophysiological research methods (e.g. EEG and/or EMG), including participant setup, data acquisition, and preliminary signal quality checks.
20. Experience with data management and research governance, including informed consent, anonymisation, and ethical data handling.
21. Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team across academic and clinical settings.
22. Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, including managing participant scheduling, experimental documentation, and research timelines.
23. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to contribute to research outputs and/or present findings to diverse audiences.
Desirable Experience and Skills:
24. Prior experience with EEG or EMG data processing and analysis (e.g. using EEGLAB or similar).
25. Programming or data analysis skills in MATLAB, Python, or R.
26. Experience conducting gait or balance experiments using forceplates or motion analysis tools.
27. A developing publication record or contributions to peer-reviewed papers and academic presentations.
28. Experience supporting or mentoring postgraduate students in research settings.
To learn more about role and requirements, please read the Job Description provided below.