Postdoctoral Research Assistant

About the Role

A Postdoctoral Research Assistant position is available in the Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology to work with Dr Margherita Malanchini on a project titled: “Understanding the combined impact of behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders on learning and child development.” The post holder will be an integral part of Dr Malanchini’s Cognition, Development and Education (CoDE) Lab.

Despite sharing several features —their developmental onset, common cognitive and affective profiles, and clinical observations of their co-occurrence— the overlap between neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and disruptive behaviour disorders (DBD) is critically under-researched. This project seeks to bridge this major gap in our knowledge by investigating the combined impact of NDD and DBD on learning and child development outcomes, considering genetic and environmental risk factors and their interplay. Ultimately, this research aims to address the following question: Do children with a higher risk for NDD and DBD experience different environments that in turn lead them down divergent educational and developmental trajectories? The goal is to pinpoint protective environments that work in interplay with genetic risk as intervention targets aimed at narrowing the educational gap between children with different neurodivergent and behavioural profiles, a gap that is amplified when multiple disorders co-occur.

About You

A successful applicant should have, or expect to soon receive, a PhD in psychology, psychiatry, bioinformatics, human genetics, epidemiology, or statistics. The post-holder should have experience analysing genetic data in large developmental cohort studies, experience with using structural equation modelling applied to phenotypic and/or genetic data, experience working with statistical software like R or plink, and evidence of leadership and contributions to published research. Interest or experience conducting research on topics including neurodevelopmental disorders and/or behavioural problems is desirable. The post holder will work closely with the PI, researchers, and students in Dr Malanchini’s research group.

About the Department/Institute/Project

The School of Biological & Behavioural Sciences is one of the largest Schools within Queen Mary and is committed to excellence in research and teaching. The Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology offers a lively and stimulating environment for both staff and students, well integrated in the school.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

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