About the Opportunity
Position Overview
Discipline
Computer Science
Faculty
Computing, Mathematics, Engineering and Natural Sciences (CoMENS)
Location
London
Term
February to May 2026
Salary Range
£16.64 / hour (about 6 hours per week; up to maximum 10 hours per week)
Reports to
Dimitris Mylonas
Benefits
The university supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, offer flexible working and parental leave opportunities, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as optional private medical insurance, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme.
Start
February 2026
The Role
Northeastern University London invites applications for two Student Research Assistant positions on the "Cones-to-Words" research project. This project investigates colour naming under diverse viewing conditions and across languages. By combining behavioural methods with machine learning, it aims to develop foundational models of lexical colour categorisation to facilitate colour communication within and across cultures, with particular focus on demonstrating research impact through industry engagement.
The successful candidates will join a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Dimitris Mylonas (Principal Investigator), collaborating with experts including Alexandros Koliousis (NU London), Rhea Eskew (NU Boston), Andrew Stockman (UCL), and a postdoc researcher. Preference given to candidates with strong interest in colour vision and language, machine learning, or web technologies.
Two positions are available:
Position 1: Demo Preparation & Industry Engagement
Design and delivery of professional research demonstrations for conferences and public-facing events, developing industry-focused use cases, documenting engagement, and supporting post-conference follow-up with interested organisations.
Position 2: Mobile-Responsive Development & Usage Analytics
Technical development of the colour-naming interface for mobile and cross-device use, including conversion to mobile-responsive formats, display calibration, cross-device compatibility testing, and usage analytics.
Key responsibilities:
* Design professional demonstration materials and document industry engagement
* Develop and test lab- and web-based colour naming experiments (calibrated and mobile-responsive implementations)
* Gather and organise evidence of research impact for REF (user metrics, industry partnerships, testimonials)
* Process, analyse, and visualise experimental data for publications
* Meet regularly with PI
Guidance will be provided on research methodologies, data analysis and visualisation, web-based experiment design, and academic writing conventions. The research assistantship provides hands-on experience in impact evaluation, experimental design, data visualisation, and academic publishing. Research Assistants may be acknowledged or co-author on resulting publications, depending on level of contribution.
RAs will need their own equipment (laptop/PC, internet connection, standard software, university library access). We particularly encourage applications from those belonging to groups underrepresented in UK higher education.
Person Specification Criteria
To undertake this role, the following should apply: if you do not have the experience below, please highlight where transferable skills would assist you in undertaking the role.
Qualifications
* Current enrolment in undergraduate or graduate studies programmes with relevant experience and strong interest in the subject matter of the research project (Computer Science, Data Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or related quantitative disciplines)
Key Criteria
* Interest in colour communication, machine learning, and data visualisation
* Programming skills (Python, MATLAB, SQL, JavaScript, or similar) or willingness to learn
* Ability to work independently, accurately, and to problem-solve technical and methodological issues that arise during research
* Ability to apply sound research techniques, methodology, and logical critical analysis
* Strong organisational and interpersonal skills
* Subject knowledge and oral/written communication skills to discuss and document research progress and interest in translating research for industry audiences
Additional Skills
* Experience with data analysis and visualisations is desirable
* Experience with calibrating display devices is desirable
* Experience with responsive web design and mobile web development is desirable (particularly relevant for Position 2)
* Experience in preparing professional demonstration materials is desirable (particularly relevant for Position 1)
* Experience of preparing reports to a high standard
Additional Information
Enquiries
Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Dimitris Mylonas, Primary Investigator of the Cones-to-Words project ). However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.
Application Process
Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.
Applications must include a CV and a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role.
The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.
Eligibility: Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Position Type
Student
Salary Range
£16.64 per hour
Additional Information
About the University
Northeastern University London (NU London) is a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London and is part of Northeastern University's global campus network.
Overlooking the River Thames near Tower Bridge, NU London offers academically challenging educational programmes designed to inspire innovative thinking, encourage interdisciplinary study, and provide global experiences. The bright and modern campus offers award winning, contemporary facilities for students and staff including state of the art audio visual technology in its teaching and meeting spaces.
Inspired by excellence, infused with an energy of ideas and ability in motion, at NU London, being a part of our staff is to be a part of a collective of entrepreneurs and educators, builders and thinkers. NU London is growing quickly, offering opportunity and growth for our staff. Currently hosting 1,500 students, our aim is to have 4000 students by 2028/29.
Choose NU London
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, the University supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, your health and wellness are of utmost importance to us, and our offerings encompass:
* 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays and winter break holidays (normally 2 days between Christmas and New Year).
* Access to personalised Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plans and opportunities.
* Support with private medical insurance.
* Eye test reimbursement.
* Cycle Scheme vouchers.
* 24/7 employee assistance/ support via our Employee Assistance Programme.
* Access to deals and discounts for food & shopping in the local area.
Enquiries
Informal enquiries may be made to However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.
Application process
Applications should be made via by 00:00 on
Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.
Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role and a full curriculum vitae.
The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.
Please note all employees of Northeastern University London are required to undergo at least a basic DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.
For staff's own wellbeing, for part time roles, the expectation is if you have multiple roles, they should not exceed full time (37.5 hours per week), and for full time roles, the expectation is that this will be your only role (apart from intermittent roles).
Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.