Research Assistant at University of Kent

Post Type: Part Time

Hours per Week: 28

Contract Type: Fixed Term – 10 Months

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Friday 14 July 2023  (unless otherwise stated)

Reference: HSS-184-23

The School of Psychology is seeking to appoint a Research Assistant with experience in conducting Experimental Psychology research in a laboratory setting. The post will involve completing a series of studies for the BIAL grant, “From the body to visual awareness: Interoceptive influences on the processing of consciously and non-consciously perceived emotional visual stimuli” under the direction of Dr Ruben Azevedo https://www.kent.ac.uk/psychology/people/1808/azevedo-ruben

As a Research Assistant, you will be required to assist with study design, preparing experimental materials, conducting the proposed research, and will provide some support for statistical analysis and writing up the results for publication in academic journals.

The project will examine how ongoing cardiac activity influences the perception of threat-signalling stimuli. Thus, a good understanding of these topics and experience of conducting psychophysiological research are highly desirable.

The post is likely to be of most interest to applicants with research interests in interoception, embodied cognition and/or affective neuroscience. Ideally, you will have experience in the acquisition of psychophysiological and/or EEG data. 

As Research Assistant, you will:

• Develop, conduct and coordinate the research as indicated in the grant proposal
• Assist in the writing of research papers addressing the project research aims in collaboration with the project lead
• Undertake scholarly activities to promote the project to academic audiences. Including presenting the research at meetings and workshops
• Liaise with International collaborators at the University of Turin in Italy
• Actively contribute to the research culture of the School of Psychology

To be successful in the role you will have:

• A 1:1 or 2:1 BSc degree (completed or submitted), or equivalent qualification or experience, in psychology or an allied subject
• Experience of conducting and analysing experimental psychology research
• Demonstration of ability to work as an independent researcher and be self-motivated 
• Skilled in using software packages for statistical analyses (e.g. SPSS, R)
• Excellent communication skills, especially for the purpose of recruiting and testing participants, and communicating research findings to non-academic audiences

The School of Psychology overlooks Canterbury with a view of the cathedral. It is a leading centre of research and education with a commitment to scientific excellence, a concern for tackling problems of contemporary relevance and a commitment to having a positive impact.

Please see the links below to view the full Job Description and to apply for this post. Please ensure you upload an up-to-date version of your CV and a cover letter alongside your application. For further information regarding the application process, please contact The HR Team on hsshr@kent.ac.uk quoting ref number: HSS-184-23, and for informal queries contact Dr Ruben Azevedo on r.a.teixeira-azevedo@kent.ac.uk

Further details:   

Please note that we prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.

Applications must be made via the University’s online application system; CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.

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