Postdoctoral Researcher in Integrative Imaging of the Brain

We are looking to hire two Postdoctoral Researchers in Integrative Imaging of the Brain. The posts are funded by a Wellcome Trust Collaborative Award between Oxford (Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging), London (King’s College), and Nijmegen (Donders Institute).

The overall aim of the award is to extend the reach of imaging neuroscience to take full advantage of the richness of the new big data imaging resources, such as: major advances in the quality of data; complementarity of multi-modal imaging; large subject numbers; and linked information about health outcomes, genetics, and risk factors. This requires new research across multiple domains, including: integrated cross-modal analysis, particularized biologically-interpretable markers, machine learning, and modelling of variation in populations to the characterisation of individual subjects.

Successful applicants will be integral to this project and will work on advancing neuroimaging in one of four interlinked areas:

•   High precision imaging of anatomy, networks, and dynamics;

•   Biologically interpretable imaging;

•   Brain imaging for populations;

•   Brain imaging for individuals.

They will also have the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of FSL tools, which is the most widely used software toolbox that combines structural, functional, and diffusion MRI analysis. FSL is used in more than 1000 universities and hospitals worldwide (160,000 downloads in the past 5 years).

We are looking for postdocs in the following areas: image analysis methods for structural, functional, and diffusion MRI; big data machine learning for neuroimaging; data harmonisation and deep generative models. Applicants will be expected to hold a BSc (or equivalent) degree in relevant area (i.e. Physics, Engineering, Computer Sciences, Neurosciences), and a PhD in a relevant computational or neuroscientific domain. As well as knowledge of statistics and/or Bayesian learning, and necessary mathematical and computational skills to put these into practice. Skills in computer programming (e.g. Matlab, Python, or C++) are essential.

The project is jointly overseen by Saad Jbabdi, Steve Smith, Mark Jenkinson, Mark Woolrich, Karla Miller (Oxford), Emma Robinson (KCL), and Christian Beckmann (Nijmegen). Successful applicants will work under the supervision of two or more of the above, and in close collaboration with all the PIs on the grant. The PIs co-lead ground-breaking population imaging studies, including: $40m NIH Human Connectome Project (HCP; 1000 healthy adults, unprecedented data quality); $40m follow-on Lifespan-HCP (extending HCP to ages 4-100y); €15m European Research Council (ERC) developing-HCP (baby connectome); £40m MRC/WT UK Biobank imaging (100,000 adults over 45y, imaged before disease diagnosis/onset, with long-term linked health records). The successful applicants will therefore be at the heart of some of the major brain imaging initiatives, contributing to the next generation of analysis tools for imaging individuals and populations.

Please see the below ‘Job Description’ for further details on the responsibilities and selection criteria, as well as further information about the university and how to apply.

This post is fixed term for a period of 2 years in the first instance and full time.

Only applications received before 12pm midday on Friday 20th October 2023 will be considered.

Interviews will be held as soon as possible thereafter.