Research Associate in ultra-low field MRI

Job description

Portable point-of-care Ultra-Low Field (ULF) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) promises to dramatically increase access to MRI, taking the modality out of hospital radiology departments and into new settings such as intensive care units, GPs offices and low-resource settings across the globe. With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), we are seeking a talented MR physicist to develop methodology for ULF MRI of the neonatal brain and related applications in paediatric intensive care. Developing this methodology introduces several challenges due to differences in the MRI properties of the immature brain, size  and, despite imaging in natural sleep, motion is a big issue. 

We want to achieve a comprehensive imaging capability at ULF and the holder of this post will take a central role in achieving that. The wider BMGF funded project is an international collaboration and the methods you develop will help teams in diverse settings, including low and middle income countries, to get more from the ULF systems. The work will be done on a dedicated Hyperfine Swoop system (64mT) located in our newborn imaging centre, alongside a 3T conventional system to facilitate comparative studies. You will join a multidisciplinary team with other physicists and work closely with clinicians including neonatologists, paediatric neurologists, radiographers and nurses to ensure that the developed methods maintain clinical relevance and can be translated to everyday clinical practice. You will get dedicated time on the scanners for your research. The postholder will also join regular meetings with international partners on the BMGF project, including communicating directly with colleagues at Hyperfine.  

Successful candidates will have knowledge in MR physics and analysis and be interested in interdisciplinary work. 

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract to 31.03.2023 

This is a full time post

Key responsibilities

•        Develop novel methods for brain MRI at ULF  

•        Work closely with clinical colleagues to test out methods developed 

•        Analyze data and interpret results 

•        Communicate research findings within the group and more widely 

•        Help develop strategies for effective imaging at ULF 

•        Communicate with international partners on the BMGF project. 

•        Perform research studies that exploit the novel methods you develop 

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  

1.      Knowledge of MR physics 

2.      PhD in a relevant discipline 

3.      Use of computers, software, research literature 

4.      Presenting scientific research in the form of papers, posters and oral presentations 

5.      Use of computers, software, research literature 

6.      Good verbal and written communication skills  

Desirable criteria

1.      Experience of pulse programming MRI scanners 

2.      Experience of sequence development 

3.      Experience in phantom, healthy subject and patient scanning 

4.      Experience in Matlab, Python, C++ or similar 

5.      Ability to work in a scientific context 

6.      Ability to plan and prioritise workload 

7.      Working as part of a multidisciplinary research team, relying on and supporting others effectively 

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6. 

Further information

The recruitment process will include a presentation and an interview.