Research Fellow

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £35,880 to £45,163 with potential progression once in post to £47,874. Grade: 7

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to October 2025

Closes: 30^th October 2024

Analysing a large cross-sectional dataset on social cognition, neurodiversity, mental health, and wellbeing.

We are looking for a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to be part of an exciting multi-disciplinary study funded by the MRC. We have created a new measure to capture individual differences in mindreading ability in mid-adolescence and early adulthood, and have collected a large amount of data to test the reliability and validity of this measure. The Post-Doctoral Research Fellow will work for the last 9 months on this 3 year project in the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, with Professor Ian Apperly (PI), and Dr Rory Devine, Dr Andrew Surtees, Prof. Matthew Broome, Prof. Ruth Gilligan and Prof. Mark Lee.

Summary of Role

The post holder will use advanced statistical analysis methods (e.g., confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance testing, longitudinal modelling) to analyse the data that have been collected, and to write up papers for publication. This will include evaluating the measure’s performance among 3000 young people and test its validity through examining links with mental health and social success.

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids.
• Operate within area of specialism.
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results.
• Contribute to generating funding.
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar.

Main duties

• Analyse and interpret experimental and correlational data, using univariate and multivariate methods, including structural equation modelling.
• Apply theoretical knowledge of modern psychometrics to develop new intellectual understanding of mindreading.
• Prepare and disseminate research outputs for academic publications, conferences, and research seminars.
• Help with supervision of and provide guidance to students assisting with research-related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to project.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.
• Contribute to public engagement activities under supervision of project leader.
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
• The position will also involve the following activities, and your knowledge and experience of these will inform the appointment process.

Person specification

• Achieved a 2.1 degree in psychology (or equivalent psychology conversion programme).
• Completed Ph.D. (or one near to completion) in psychology.
• Evidence of experience in using structural equation modelling and handling data from large samples.
• High level analytical capability including proficiency in using either Mplus or R to carry out latent variable analysis (e.g., confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance testing, longitudinal modelling) and report the results of these analyses.

Desirable

• PhD involving development and psychometric evaluation of new tasks designed to capture individual differences in cognitive or social-cognitive abilities.
• Knowledge of theories and models of modern psychometrics, social cognition or social behaviours.

Informal enquiries to Ian Apperly i.a.apperly@bham.ac.uk.

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

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