Postdoctoral Research Associate in Neonatal Ultrahigh Field MRI

KINGS COLLEGE LONDON; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed educational institution in the UK is seeking a neuroscientist to investigate brain iron in early neurodevelopment using advanced MRI techniques. The position involves collaboration with a diverse team and the ideal candidate should hold a PhD in a relevant field and have strong experience in human neuroimaging. The contract is fixed-term for up to 15 months with a salary range of £45,031 - £52,514 per annum inclusive.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in human neuroimaging, particularly in neonatal or pediatric MRI.
• Understanding of developmental neuroscience or clinical neuroimaging contexts.
• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams.

Responsibilities

• Conduct experiments using advanced quantitative MRI methods.
• Analyze neonatal or infant MRI data to understand brain development.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and scientists.

Skills

PhD in Neuroscience or related discipline

Experience in human neuroimaging

Quantitative MRI methods

Neuroimaging analysis tools (FSL, MRtrix, etc.)

Clinical research data handling

Understanding of developmental neuroscience

Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team

Ability to work independently

MSc in Neuroscience or relevant area

Experience using REDCap

Advanced quantitative MRI techniques

Linking imaging data to biological metrics

Effective workload planning

Education

PhD or equivalent in Neuroscience

MSc in Neuroscience or related area

Tools

FSL

MRtrix

Python

R

Linux/HPC environments

Job description

Organisation/Company KINGS COLLEGE LONDON Research Field Biological sciences Physics Psychological sciences Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 9 Nov 2025 - 00:00 (UTC) Type of Contract Other Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

About Us

The post will be based at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London in the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King’s College London: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/bmeis . There is an unmatched infrastructure in place to support the planned work, including one of the UK’s only 7 Tesla MRI systems located inside a hospital environment, state-of-the-art engineering and physics laboratories, high-performance computing, and industry collaboration through the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering. Funds are available for travel during the post if required.

About The Role

We are seeking an ambitious and motivated neuroscientist with a strong interest in early brain development to join a multidisciplinary team investigating the role of brain iron in early neurodevelopment using ultra-high-field (7 Tesla) quantitative MRI.

This pioneering Wellcome Trust–funded project will open a new window into the developing brain by mapping brain iron trajectories in neonates and infants with unprecedented precision.

The primary focus of this role will be to conduct experiments combining advanced quantitative MRI, blood biomarkers, and neurodevelopmental assessments to understand how brain iron influences early maturation and later outcomes.

You will work as part of a team including clinicians, neuroscientists, engineers and computer scientists, engaged with studying the early developing brain with previously unprecedented precision.

The post holder must have a solid understanding of MRI principles and developmental neuroscience, with demonstrable experience in the analysis of neonatal or infant MRI data. Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams, including clinicians, physicists, and neuroscientists, is essential.

This is a full-time post, and you will be offered a fixed term contract for up to 15 months.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

• PhD (or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, MRI Physics, or a closely related discipline (or near completion/pending results)*
• Strong experience in human neuroimaging, particularly in neonatal, infant, or pediatric MRI
• Experience with quantitative MRI methods (e.g. diffusion MRI, QSM, relaxometry, or magnetization transfer imaging)
• Proficiency in neuroimaging analysis pipelines, including familiarity with tools such as FSL, MRtrix, ANTs, or equivalent, and programming or scripting in Python, R, or bash/zsh on Linux/HPC environments.
• Experience working with clinical research data, including neuroimaging and clinical data collection, image processing, and statistical analysis.
• Understanding of developmental neuroscience or clinical neuroimaging contexts (e.g., perinatal brain injury, congenital or preterm cohorts).
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with clinicians, engineers, and neuroscientists.
• Ability to work without close supervision
• MSc in Neuroscience or other relevant area.
• Experience using REDCap or equivalent platforms for clinical or research data management.
• Experience with advanced quantitative MRI techniques, such as quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), T2* relaxometry, or magnetization transfer (MT) imaging.
• Familiarity with linking imaging data to biological or clinical metrics, including hematological markers and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
• Ability to plan and prioritize workload.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King’s.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit ’ pages.

We are able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.

Grade and Salary: £45,031 - £52,514 per annum inclusive of London Weighting Allowance

Job ID: 129686

Close Date: 09-Nov-2025

Contact Person: Chiara Casella

Contact Details: [e-mail]