Research Assistant

UCL - Department of Imaging Neuroscience / Functional Imaging Laboratory (FIL)

About us

Over the past 30 years, the Department of Imaging Neuroscience, home to the internationally renowned Functional Imaging Laboratory (FIL), has pioneered the development and application of imaging techniques to advance our understanding of the human brain. It continues to play a leading role in progressing and transforming research in many areas of neuroscience. The Department hosts multiple large-scale collaborative grants including the Wellcome-funded Discovery Research Platform for Naturalistic Neuroimaging, and the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research.

About the role

The “Quantitative MRI for Anatomical Phenotyping in Parkinson’s disease” (qMAP-PD) study is a longitudinal observational study lead by Dr Christian Lambert. It aims to better understand the inter-individual variability in early and pre-clinical Parkinson’s disease by combining state-of-the-art anatomical MRI imaging methods, genetics, highly detailed clinical assessments (deep phenotyping) coupled with advanced methodological techniques for multiscale analysis and single subject inference.

We are now recruiting a Research Assistant to undertake high quality research combining neuroimaging, advanced computational anatomy, genetics and machine learning. Key responsibilities will be to recruit and assess study participants, coordinate study logistics, perform neuropsychiatric assessments, and to prepare and analyse data for publications and presentations at international conferences and internal meetings. You will be a key member of Dr Lambert’s team and will gain substantial experience and training by working on novel clinical research at the intersection between advanced computational anatomy, quantitative MRI, neurodegeneration and inter-individual variability.

The post is available immediately and is funded by the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation until 31 October 2027, or for two years, whichever is sooner, in the first instance.

We expect to hold interviews on 29 September 2025.

For a full job description please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs) and search using vacancy reference B02-09361. To apply, please upload a current CV, complete the online application form, and use the supporting statement section or upload a cover letter to outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please do not upload any additional attachments as these will not be considered by the selection panel.

About you

You’ll have an honours degree (minimum 2:1) in psychology, neuroscience, or a related discipline, coupled with a very high level of consideration and care for patients and research volunteers and experience of undertaking neuropsychological testing assessments in adult populations. Excellent attention to detail and problem-solving, interpersonal, and communication skills are required for this role, as is prior experience in coordinating or supporting study logistics including experience of recruiting and assessing participants from clinical populations.

What we offer

Starting salary offered in the range £39,148 - £41,833 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance. As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits).

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on EDI initiatives; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/equality-diversity-inclusion for more information about what we’re doing. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.