Research Fellow in Semantic Visual Decoding

Melbourne, Australia        ·         Full time

Recruiter: UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Salary: $80,258 – $108,906 p.a. plus 17% super

Posted: 14 May 2023

End of advertisement period: 29 May 2023

Ref: 0059551

Academic Discipline: Clinical, Pre-clinical & Health, Medicine & Dentistry, Engineering & Technology, Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Life sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics

Job Type: Academic Posts, Research Fellowships

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Hours: Full Time

Location: Parkville
Role type: Full time/Fixed-term up to 3 years
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Department/School: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Salary: Level A $80,258* – $108,906 p.a. plus 17% super (*PhD entry Level A.6 – $101,460 p.a.)

The University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples, the Yorta Yorta Nation, the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebration, initiation and renewal, and that the local Aboriginal Peoples have had and continue to have a unique role in the life of these lands.

About the Role

The University of Melbourne is in search of a highly motivated postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. The position is part of the Moonshot Research and Development Program funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The program is focused on “Liberation from Biological Limitations via Physical, Cognitive and Perceptual Augmentation.”

The project’s goal is to record intravascular encephalography (EEG) in the transverse sinus to decode visual semantic information close to the visual cortex. As a Research Fellow, the candidate will be responsible for conducting pre-clinical EEG recordings in sheep while they are shown different visual stimuli. The position entails surgery, sheep management, equipment setup, recording sessions, data analyses, and neural decoding method application.It also involves regular animal care and experimentation, which may require work outside of standard business hours. The role may require independent travel to Japan for 1-3 months each year to collaborate with partners at Osaka University.

The successful candidate will be responsible for publishing the research results in conferences and journals. The position may also entail minor teaching and research supervision duties in related areas of research.

Responsibilities include:

• Contribute towards the research effort of the team and develop research expertise and deliver against research objectives in a timely manner.
• Under the guidance and support of Senior Academic staff, conduct internationally competitive research resulting in publications in high impact journals.
• Undertake occasional teaching, tutorials, marking and laboratory duties as required by the Department/School.
• Engage with relevant professional and industry bodies and stakeholders to foster collaborative partnerships.

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a cutting-edge project focused on pushing the boundaries of biological limitations through physical, cognitive, and perceptual augmentation. In collaboration with partners at Osaka University, this role presents an excellent opportunity for personal and professional development and the chance to make significant contributions to groundbreaking research. 

About You

The ideal candidate should be self-motivated, organized, and able to work independently with minimal supervision while prioritizing tasks effectively. They should possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex research concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences. Additionally, the ideal candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

You will also have:

• PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, or equivalent;
• Experience in animal electrophysiology experimentation;
• Excellent neural signal processing and data analysis skills;
• Excellent programming skills;
• Strong background in machine learning specifically deep neural networks

To ensure the University continues to provide a safe environment for everyone, this position requires the incumbent to hold a current and valid Working with Children Check.

Please note: To be considered for this role you must have current valid work rights for Australia.

About the University

The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

About – Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology

For over 150 years, the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) has been at the forefront of engineering and IT education and research in Australia. We are a diverse and interdisciplinary school, comprised of three main areas: Computing and Information Systems (CIS), Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (CBE), and Electrical, Mechanical and Infrastructure Engineering (EMI).

The Department of Biomedical Engineering is a flourishing academic unit that specializes in tackling complex problems at the intersection of engineering and the life sciences. Its research is diverse and encompasses a broad range of fields, including biomaterials, biomechanics, neuroengineering, and synthetic biology. The department has a strong commitment to collaboration and maintains extensive partnerships with leading institutions, industry, and hospitals both nationally and internationally.

Benefits of Working with Us

In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements, generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits.

Be Yourself

We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please submit your application including a brief cover letter, your resume and your responses against the selection criteria^ (found in the Position Description) for the role.

For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments with the recruitment process, please contact  us at hr-talent@unimelb.edu.au.

Applications close: 29th May 2023 11:55 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time

Position description:  0059551_Research Fellow in Visual Semantic Decoding_PD.pdf