Digital Mental Health: Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Digital Mental Health Group (https://orben.group/) at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit is an innovative, collaborative, and growing research group studying the intersection between adolescent mental health, cognitive neuroscience, and digital technologies with the aim of improving mental health outcomes in both non-clinical and clinical populations. We are based at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, a world-leading research centre well-known for its close-knit community, collaborative atmosphere, and outstanding research support. Our group currently includes our PI, Dr Amy Orben (https://www.amyorben.com/) and two PhD students, as well as research visitors and interns; in 2022, we are planning to expand by advertising two postdoc openings as well as PhD positions.

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

£33,309-£40,927

SU29916

Research

27 January 2022

1 March 2022

Overview:

We are seeking a post-doctoral research associate to join us for 3 years in the first instance, with the possibility to extend. In this post, you will be responsible for developing, shaping, and delivering a research programme to understand how cognitive and/or neural characteristics influence the impact of social media use and other digital technologies on adolescent mental health.

We will provide you with the freedom to develop new and creative ideas, methodologies, and/or approaches. In collaboration with the team, you can also decide whether to focus on non-clinical or clinical populations. After a period of literature review and conceptualisation, your research activities will most likely include conducting analyses of pre-existing datasets and designing studies to be run locally. These studies can include techniques for collecting data from digital devices and/or services through data donation or collaboration with service providers.

You will be supported in complementing your core research activities in ways that interest you and benefit the group, as well as the wider department: for example, by collaborating or engaging with policy, charity, or stakeholder organisations; by working with lived experience populations; by doing outreach and media engagement; and/or by helping supervise and teach students.

A start date in early Spring would be ideal, but there is substantial flexibility. Further, we welcome applications from those wishing to work part-time.

Experience:

The ideal candidate will have expertise and a strong interest in adolescent mental health, digital technologies, and cognitive science/cognitive neuroscience, as well as knowledge of relevant research and data analysis techniques including extensive experience of programmes languages such as R. We would also welcome application from those with a clinical background or direct experience working with adolescents. For the essential and desirable criteria please see the job specification provided as part of the application pack.

We encourage applicants from backgrounds traditionally marginalised and/or under-represented in the field. Further, please do not be discouraged from applying if your current CV is not a 'perfect fit'. This job could suit someone from a range of different backgrounds, and there is great scope for the right applicant to develop the role and make it their own. If you think that this is the role for you, please write and tell us why. The MRC CBU has been at the forefront of embracing the values of credible and open science and strives for replicable and reproducible research. For this goal, we support transparent research with open data, open materials, robust research methods, and study pre-registration, where relevant. Therefore, candidates are asked to describe in what way they already pursued and plan to pursue these goals.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Amy Orben: [email protected]

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Closing date: 1st March 2022.

Interview date: TBC.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 £30,497) moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of your PhD award.

Please quote reference SU29916 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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