Research Assistant in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Anxiety

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institution in Cambridge is seeking a full-time Research Assistant to support a program investigating how treatments alleviate anxiety. This role requires on-site work five days a week and involves managing ethics applications, recruiting participants, and collecting neuroimaging data. Ideal candidates will exhibit strong organizational skills and experience in human participant research. The position is available from March 2026 and is funded for two years, with possible extension based on funding availability.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated track record of supporting complex human participant research.
• Experience in clinical, cognitive, or neuroimaging settings is ideal.
• Ability to manage ethics applications and coordinate with collaborators.

Responsibilities

• Support the research project by managing ethics applications.
• Recruit, schedule, and test participants.
• Collect behavioural and neuroimaging data.

Skills

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Experience in human participant research

Job description

Research Assistant in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Anxiety

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant to support an ambitious programme of research investigating the mechanisms through which common treatments alleviate anxiety in humans. The post holder will be based in the Prediction and Learning Lab www.lawsonlab.co.uk within the Department of Psychology, led by Professor Rebecca Lawson.

This is a full-time role, and the successful candidate must be able to attend the department on-site five days per week as required.

The position is funded by a Wellcome Mental Health Award and focuses on testing the hypothesis that commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medications, and psychological therapy, reduce anxiety by altering how uncertainty is processed in the brain. The project combines pharmacological interventions within an experimental medicine framework with advanced behavioural, eye-tracking, and ultra-high-field (7 Tesla) MRI methods to deliver mechanistic insights with clinical relevance.

The Research Assistant will work closely with the Principal Investigator and a team of postdoctoral researchers to support all aspects of the project. Responsibilities will include preparing and managing ethics applications, coordinating with clinical and research collaborators, recruiting, scheduling and testing participants, collecting behavioural, eye-tracking and neuroimaging data, administering clinical assessments, organising and archiving datasets, contributing to data analysis, and providing general research support as required.

The ideal candidate will be highly organised, professional, and self-motivated, with excellent attention to detail and strong time management skills. They will have a demonstrated track record of supporting complex human participant research, ideally within clinical, cognitive, or neuroimaging settings.

The post holder will be embedded within a highly collaborative research environment and will interact with neuroscientists working across multiple scales and species. This network offers exceptional opportunities for cross-disciplinary training in cutting-edge methods spanning behavioural, cognitive, and computational neuroscience.

The position is available from March 2026.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance, with the possibility of extension subject to funding.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to: Professor Rebecca Lawson (email: [e-mail])

Please quote reference PJ48616 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

£33,002 to £35,608 per annum