Research Associate

Role Description

Department of Psychology - Research Associate

The York Episodic Memory Lab, led by Dr Aidan Horner,  at The Department of Psychology, University of York, is seeking  two postdoctoral research associates to work for 3 years. 

One role will work on an ESRC funded project on “The diverse nature of forgetting across a representational hierarchy”. The goal of this project is to assess whether forgetting differs as a function of what is being represented. The project will use experimental psychology and statistical modelling.

One role will work on a Leverhulme Trust funded project on “Boosting long-term memory via environmental structure in virtual reality". The goal of the project is to understand how our spatial environment shapes learning, and how we can structure our environment to boost learning. The project will use experimental psychology, computational modelling, and virtual reality environments. There is the potential to extend the Leverhulme role for a further year (4 years in total). 

The candidates will have a strong track record in the psychology and cognitive neuroscience of memory. They will have experience in developing experimental psychology tasks and applying them to questions related to memory. In addition, for the Leverhulme project, they would ideally have experience in running experiments using virtual reality environments. You will be asked to indicate which of these roles you would prefer in the application process, however we are recruiting for both roles in the same recruitment round so you will be considered for either project. 

Role

Based at York, you will be responsible for designing, conducting and disseminating research on the grant, with guidance from Dr Aidan Horner and members of the York Episodic Memory Lab and the wider Sleep, Language, and Memory research group. 

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

• You must have a PhD and first degree in psychology or a related discipline
• Knowledge of experimental psychology and of psychological research techniques are essential, with knowledge of memory and/or spatial navigation
• You will have strong communication skills, with the ability to write up and present research to a high standard. You will have strengths in individual and collaborative research skills and in the use of statistical packages to analyse complex datasets. The ability to build and use virtual reality environments to answer psychological questions is also desirable.
• You should have experience of independent and collaborative research, and of writing up research for publication. 
• You should have good attention to detail, commitment to high quality research, a collaborative ethos, and enthusiasm for the research area and project. You should have a positive attitude to, and willingness to work with, colleagues and students. You should have strong planning ability, an ability to meet deadlines, and a commitment to acquiring new knowledge and skills.

Interview date:

For informal enquiries: please contact Dr Aidan Horner via email: aidan.horner@york.ac.uk

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive  – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University. 

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork