Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ref 20426
School/department: School of Psychology
Hours: full time or part time hours considered up to a maximum of 1 FTE
Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).
Contract: fixed term for 11 months
Reference: 20426
Salary: starting at £36,333 to £43,155 per annum, pro rata if part time
Placed on: 05 April 2023
Closing date: 25 April 2023. Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.
Expected Interview date: To be confirmed
Expected start date: 01 June 2023
Job description
This postdoctoral researcher opportunity is ideal for a candidate with a PhD in psychology or cognitive neuroscience, with a strong academic track record in experimental methods, and an interest in individual differences in perceptual experience.
Misophonia is a strong aversive reaction to particular sounds (e.g. chewing, tapping) that can often impact negatively on quality of life. The overall aim of this research is to transform our understanding of misophonia by revealing the cognitive, perceptual, and neural pre-requisites that might allow misophonia to develop.
You would take responsibility for an ongoing project involving in-person data collection for two studies comparing misophonics and non-misophonics. Another researcher will also be involved with data collection and you will work as a team. We have a database of research volunteers with misophonia and you would be required to proactively recruit control samples.
One study explores the neurochemistry of misophonia using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (collected in an MRI scanner). You would be responsible for the data analysis (we have a protocol set-up) and write-up, with data collection shared with the research assistant. A second study explores the extent to which misophonics are distracted by sounds when they are not the focus of attention. The study will be run in matlab and we will collect psychophysiological data (heart rate, skin conductance) and response times. A preliminary version of the study would need piloting before data collection and would ideally be pre-registered.
This research is funded by the Ream Foundation (https://misophoniaresearchfund.org/)
Please contact Prof. Jamie Ward (jamiew@sussex.ac.uk) for informal enquiries.
The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.
The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
You can find out more about our values and our EDI Strategy, Inclusive Sussex, on our webpages.
Download job description and person specification Ref 20426 [PDF 178.27KB]
The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed from the UK.
Visa Sponsorship Queries:
"This role has been assigned an eligible SOC code however to meet the minimum salary requirement this is dependent on the salary you are offered and/or whether you are eligible for tradeable points. If you require visa sponsorship from the University of Sussex to undertake this role please consult our Skilled Worker Visa information page for further information. If you want further advice on sponsorship eligibility please contact HRCompliance@sussex.ac.uk"
How to apply
Download our academic application form [DOC 199.50KB] and Personal Details and Equal Opportunities Form [DOCX 65.11KB] and fill in all sections.
Email your completed application, and personal details and equal opportunities form, to jobapps@sussex.ac.uk
You should attach your application form and all documents to the email in PDF format (we are unable to accept applications as google.docs or .pages) and use the format job reference number / job title / your name in the subject line.
You can also send your application by post to Human Resources Division, Sussex House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH.