Research Fellow

We are seeking a Research Associate to join our work on the design of novel assistive listening technologies through large-scale electrophysiology and deep learning. The work is supervised by Prof Nicholas Lesica at the UCL Ear Institute (lesicalab.com) and is carried out in partnership with Perceptual Technologies Ltd. and the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre.

We are offering an opportunity to help develop a transformative solution to a major public health problem – hearing loss – that has the potential to benefit hundreds of millions of people, along with the potential to join a deep tech startup to commercialize the technology upon project completion.

We have spent the past several years developing a unique capability for recording large-scale neural activity datasets with high spatiotemporal resolution (Armstrong et al., Nat Biomed Eng, 2021) and applying deep learning to these datasets to develop highly-accurate models of neural coding with and without hearing loss (Sabesan et al., eLife, 2023; Drakopoulos et al, bioRxiv, 2024). We are now looking to perform listening tests to measure the benefit of new hearing aid algorithms developed using these methods.

Key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Designing listening tests to measure the benefit of new hearing aid algorithms relative to the state-of-the-art
• Implementing listening tests in software
• Recruiting listeners with hearing loss to perform listening tests
• Carrying out listening tests
• Analyzing the results of listening tests
• Preparing results for publication and for pitching to potential investors
• Representing the group at external meetings/seminars

The post holder will also actively promote UCL equality and diversity policies and will be expected to give consideration within their role as to how they can actively advance equality of opportunity and good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and people who do not share it. The salary for this role is grade 7 (£42,099- £50,585) per annum including London allowances) with salary on appointment dependent on experience.

The posts will be funded for one year in the first instance with potential for extension subject to funding.

 We are looking for a researcher who is experienced in implementing and carrying out listening tests. Specific experience in audiology is desirable, but not essential.

The ideal candidates will have:

• PhD in psychology, neuroscience, engineering or related discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Experience designing protocols and stimuli for listening tests
• Experience implementing listening tests in software
• Strong software engineering skills (ideally Matlab or Python)
• Experience recruiting subjects for listening tests Experience analyzing the results of listening tests

This role DOES NOT meet the eligibility requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa certificate of sponsorship under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL will not be able to sponsor individuals who require right to work in the UK to carry out this role.

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