Skip to main content

This job has expired

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Computational Neuroscience

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
United Kingdom
Closing date
Dec 17, 2018

Job Details

Job Purpose

The School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham wishes to strengthen our School with the appointment of a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer with specific expertise in computational modeling. The School is continuing to recruit as a result of outstanding performance in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) and major investment provided to the School by the University.

 

The School

The School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham (http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/psychology/index.aspx) is one of the largest and most successful in the UK, currently ranked in the top 5 Schools in the country (REF 2014). The University of Birmingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from currently under-represented groups. The School of Psychology has a Bronze Athena SWAN award and strives to maintain a flexible and supportive environment that enables its staff to flourish.

 

Role purpose

We welcome applicants whose research expertise will complement and extend any of our existing four Research Themes: Perception, Cognition, and Action; Mental Health and Wellbeing; Language, Interaction, and Social Cognition; Memory and Attention. One strategic objective for the School is to build on the strength of our Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Robotics, and so we particularly welcome applicants with strength in computational science approaches, including machine learning, Bayesian modeling, and computational models of perception, categorisation and attention. We will consider a joint appointment with the School of Computer Science, which has staff whose research expertise complement and extend those of Psychology.

 

Person Specification

Main responsibilities (research)

Postholders at all levels will be expected to plan and carry out international-quality research, using appropriate methodology and techniques. This will include contributing to all of the following:

  • Pursue research including developing research ideas and winning support, including research funding,
  • Present findings in high-quality journals and conference proceedings,
  • Supervise and examine PhD students, both within the institution and externally,
  • Manage research activities and/or supervise other research staff,
  • Develop novel methodologies and techniques,
  • Manage projects, and supervise research staff,
  • Provide expert advice to staff and students within the discipline,
  • Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) and similar activity that is of benefit to the university.

Senior Lecturer

  • In addition, appointments at Senior Lecturer level will need to demonstrate a sustained contribution to research, teaching and administration over a number of years:
  • Make a major contribution to the management of research activities,
  • Lead successful funding bids which develop and sustain research support for the specialist area (in disciplines where this is possible),
  • Publish leading research that results in a sustained, highly respected reputation of international quality in the subject area,
  • Provide expert advice internally and externally,
  • Provide leadership of research that contributes to the progression of the discipline (in disciplines where this is possible),
  • Referee and peer review articles for peer-reviewed academic journals and grant applications by research councils and/or other major funding bodies
  • Lead sustained high-value impact activity in knowledge transfer and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement)that is of manifest benefit to the College and University, and: a) make a significant contribution to policy development at a national and international level; and/or b) involves development of industrial links and comparable networks and initiatives.

 

Main responsibilities (teaching and learning)

Postholders at all levels will be expected to contribute to some or all of the following:

  • Teach and examine courses at a range of levels,
  • Plan and review own teaching approaches and act as a mentor to encourage others to do the same,
  • Develop module proposals and make substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely in the School, as appropriate,
  • Use appropriate approaches to learning and teaching in their field,
  • Disseminate appropriate practices through suitable media,
  • Develop and advise others on learning and teaching tasks and methods,
  • Undertake and develop the full range of responsibilities in relation to supervision, marking and examining,
  • Develop and make substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities or similar on own specialism that enhances the student experience or employability and is of manifest benefit to the College and University
  • Demonstrate a high level of student satisfaction.
  • Devise and supervise projects, student dissertations and practical work.

 

Senior Lecturer

In addition, appointments at Senior Lecturer level will be expected to contribute at a senior level on a sustained basis in learning and teaching. Where appropriate for the discipline, this may include some but not all of the responsibilities listed below:

  • Lead the development of new and appropriate approaches to learning and teaching.This may be underpinned by research and evaluation of teaching methods and systems,
  • Act as an adviser for teaching and learning methods through excellent practice and mentoring other colleagues,
  • Lead the design and/or coordination of programmes or equivalent activities across the School,
  • Contribute to the development of teaching and learning policy, methods and standards, more widely than the School,
  • Contribute to debate nationally about policy, methods and practices through publications, conference activity and roles that advance quality in the discipline,
  • Lead the development and management of assessment strategies within the School/Department,
  • Lead substantial and sustained high-value impact activity in knowledge transfer and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) that enhances the student experience and/or employability and is of manifest benefit to learning and teaching in the College and the University. This may include the development of industrial links and comparable networks and initiatives.

Main responsibilities (management and administration)

Postholders at all levels will be expected to contribute to some or all of the following:

  • Contribute to the administration/management of research and/or teaching across the Department/School,
  • Advise on personal development of staff and students,
  • Make a sustained contribution to widening participation, schools outreach and/or public understanding of the discipline,
  • Contribute to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups),
  • Develop and manage staff and resources in support of major research and/or teaching activities.

 

Senior Lecturer

In addition, appointments at Senior Lecturer level will be expected to chair and/or lead activities in the School and representation on University committees or working groups.

Where appropriate to the discipline, this is likely to include some but not all of the responsibilities listed below.

  • Make an important contribution to the development and running of the School, for example, leading activity on teaching assessment and/or on research,
  • Develop and manage staff and resources in support of major research and/or teaching activities,
  • Make important contributions to the development of the School's research strategy and/or learning and teaching strategy,
  • Lead/project manage a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. new programme or a recruitment drive),
  • Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement and public engagement activities with a sustained high-value impact of manifest benefit to the College and the University.

 

Person specification (Lecturer)

  • Normally, a higher degree (usually PhD) in Neuroscience, Psychology or a closely related field, or equivalent qualifications or experience, or working towards this
  • Significant research experience and scholarship,
  • Evidence of the ability to attract PhD students, to secure external grants from research councils, academic charities or industries, or to consult and work with industry is desirable. A demonstrated ability to balance long-term fundamental research with short-term applied projects would be beneficial

 

Research

  • A growing international research record in computational neuroscience (or related inter-disciplinary areas), evident from publications in leading international conferences and journals, is required,
  • Experience and achievement reflected in a growing international reputation,
  • Experience and demonstrated success in planning, undertaking and project managing research to deliver high-quality results,
  • Extensive experience of applying and/or developing and devising successful models, techniques and methods,
  • Experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and/or similar activities

 

Teaching and learning

  • Ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes
  • Experience in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching, and advising colleagues
  • Experience and success in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability
  • Management and Administration
  • Ability to contribute to School/Departmental management processes
  • Ability to assess and organise resources effectively
  • Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes

 

Person specification (Senior Lecturer)

  • Demonstrated competence in Research; Learning and Teaching; and Management and Administration; and excellence in at least two of these areas.
  • Normally, a higher degree (usually PhD) in Neuroscience, Psychology or a closely related field,or equivalent qualifications or experience, or working towards this
  • Extensive research/teaching experience and scholarship within related field.
  • Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning/ research
  • Evidence of the ability to attract PhD students, to secure external grants from research councils, academic charities or industries, or to consult and work with industry is desirable. A demonstrated ability to balance long-term fundamental research with short-term applied projects would be beneficial.

 

Research

High-level peer esteem as evidenced by:

  • Excellent reputation in the UK and often internationally reflected in sustained high-quality output, level of innovation, impact on subject and recognition
  • An excellent and sustained record of peer-reviewed research publications
  • Successful and sustained supervision of doctoral students to completion
  • Substantial and sustained research income generation, e.g. through research grants, contracts, research consultancy or other external funding
  • Sustained high-value impact knowledge transfer and enterprise that is of manifest benefit to the College and University

 

Teaching and learning

  • High national reputation for the development of teaching and learning excellence within the discipline
  • Successful and sustained use of a range of appropriate teaching methods, and assessment strategies that promote high-quality learning, including learning that is flexible, distinctive and current and stimulates learners' natural curiosity
  • Significant and sustained contribution to one or more of the following: strategic development of new programmes; approaches to learning; the development of learning resources
  • High quality and sustained contributions to fostering excellence in teaching activities more widely, i.e. in the Department/School or College and/or externally
  • Track record of substantial and sustained high-value impact on the enhancement of the student experience, and/or employability
  • Mentoring/expert advice which develops the skills of colleagues in teaching and in fostering learning

 

Management and administration

  • Successful and sustained performance in significant administrative/managerial role(s)
  • Significant and sustained high-quality innovative contributions to the management/administration of the Department/School/College or University
  • Successful and sustained contribution to the corporate life of the School/College/University, displaying a willingness to contribute actively to committees, collaborative teaching and administrative tasks

 

Company

Global Academy Jobs works with over 250 universities worldwide to promote academic mobility and international research collaboration. Global problems need international solutions. Our jobs board and emails reach the academics and researchers who can help.

"The globalisation of higher education continues apace, driving in turn the ongoing development of the global knowledge economy, striving for solutions to the world’s problems and educating a next generation of leaders and contributors."

Company info
Website

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert