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Position Details

School of Psychology 

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Fixed salary of £49,747, additional allowances may be applicable depending on circumstances 

Grade: 7 (Spot)

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to March 2029

Closing date: 20th August 2026

This vacancy may be closed early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Background

The post is part of EXPLORA (“Perception of materials, objects and spaces through active EXPLORAtion”), an MSCA Doctoral Network funded under Horizon Europe. Project 6, hosted at the University of Birmingham, will build mixed reality experiments, record and characterise exploratory hand movements during unconstrained surface exploration, and model the integration of multisensory information and responses about object attributes. The project includes international collaboration and secondments within the EXPLORA network.

The successful candidate will undertake doctoral research within EXPLORA Project 6. The student will design and run experimental studies in mixed reality/XR, analyse behavioural and motion data, and develop computational models of multisensory integration during active surface exploration. The role includes participation in the training, networking, and secondment activities of the EXPLORA Doctoral Network, and enrolment in a PhD programme at the University of Birmingham.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 
• Contribute to generating funding 
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly

Further Particulars

• A Master’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a closely related field.

Essential experience and skills

• Experience with experimental methods, ideally including psychophysics or behavioural experimentation.
• Experience with VR/XR methods or immersive technologies.
• Experience with programming and/or computational modelling.
• Ability to analyse data quantitatively.
• Ability to communicate research clearly in spoken and written English.
• Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary and international team. 

Desirable

• Experience with motion tracking, mixed reality, multisensory perception, or human-computer interaction.
• Experience with statistical modelling, signal processing, or machine learning.
• Interest in active perception, surface exploration, and computational neuroscience.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must satisfy the MSCA Doctoral Network eligibility rules:

• Doctoral degree rule: applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. Applicants who have already defended their doctoral thesis are also not eligible, even if the degree has not yet been formally awarded.
• Mobility rule: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the envisaged recruitment date. The earliest possible recruitment date is 1 September 2026. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Informal enquiries to Massimiliano di Luca, email: [email protected] 

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.