Job description

This post provides an exciting opportunity to lead on the participatory research and communication of a new UKRI Network Plus (“RESPECT 4 Neurodevelopment”). RESPECT for Neurodevelopment stands for Responsible, Reliable, Scalable and Personalised Neurotechnology for Neurodevelopmental Conditions. Our goal is to build a multidisciplinary community to advance child-specific neurotechnologies to underpin precision medicine for neurodevelopmental conditions. To do this, we will create the first UK-based hub that brings together the major bioengineering and physics communities from academia and industry working on neuroimaging, wearable and mobile technologies (e.g., MRI, fNIRS, EEG, eye-tracking, digital technologies), neuroscientists, psychologists and psychiatrists working on early brain development and neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as neurodiverse people and families with lived experience who will use these technologies. They are joined by bioethicists who advise on the legal and ethical issues arising from these new technologies, and health care providers and policy makers who will be implementing them in the health care system.

The post-holder will be based at KCL in Dr Eva Loth’s group but will work closely with Prof Jones (Birkbeck University), our Ethics Advisors and a “Responsibility” Working Group.

Key areas include:

• Help develop a virtual hub to link researchers from academia and industry with charities, neurodiverse communities and people with lived experience;
• Examine the ethical challenges of neurotechnologies for infants and children through participatory work with parents and the public;
• Underpin pump-priming projects that will be carried out as part of the Network Plus with participatory work on the desirability, feasibility and responsibility of these technologies (e.g., focus groups, interviews, surveys);
• Work with web-developers in creating the network website and updating website content and disseminate key network outputs both internally and externally to professionals as well as the broader public;
• Work with the Responsibility working group to develop a communication plan on the responsible use of neurotechnologies for infants and children, and formulate key principles

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 3 years/months [until May 2025]

This is a part-time post (50% FTE)

Key responsibilities

• Work with the Communication/Dissemination Board in developing the virtual hub for network members to connect both internally and externally;  
• Work with Dr Loth, Prof Jones, Ethics Advisors and neurodiverse communities in examining fundamental ethical challenges of (potential) new neurotechnologies for infants and children through participatory work with parents and the public; 
• Coordinate participatory research conducted specifically for each pump-priming feasibility project (up to 8)  that will be funded by the network; 
• Lead activities to engage with the public, participant and parents groups; 
• Work with a web developer to create, maintain and update the Network website;  
• Reach out to strategically targeted prospective new network members;  and 
• Work with the Responsibility Working group t develop a communication plan on the responsible use of neurotechnologies in infants and children, and formulate key principles 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

• PhD in human development, bioethics, psychology, neuroscience,  or biomedical sciences 
• Experience with participatory research, working with neurodiverse communities (including autistic people, people with ADHD, Intellectual Disability etc) 
• Experience with qualitative (e.g., focus groups, semi-structured interviews) and/ or quantitative methods (e.g., survey) used in participatory research 
• Experience facilitating focus groups, sandpits
• Experience of writing, editing and sub-editing, including the expression of complex or technical material in lay terminology
• Excellent person and communication skills 

Desirable criteria  

• Experience with science communication 
• Experience with non-invasive neurotechnologies  
• Understanding of early brain development 

Further information

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service clearance. 

Please click here to apply.