We are seeking both a postdoctoral fellow and a PhD student.
Lab Name: Brain and Cognitive Development Lab, Deakin University, Australia
Supervisor Name: Dr. Nandi Vijayakumar and Prof. Tim Silk
Position Title: Adolescent Brain Development and Puberty Postdoc and PhD scholarship opportunities
Description:
Leveraging the largest consortium of internationally collaborative datasets (ENIGMA consortium - Puberty Working Group), bringing together datasets with neuroimaging, pubertal and behavioural data, this project will enable assessment and characterisation of the unique impact of puberty on brain development and inform prominent models of adolescent behaviour.
The Associate Research Fellow will be responsible for pooling and analysing datasets as part of an international collaboration (ENIGMA consortium – Puberty Working Group) that explores how hormonal and physical changes during puberty are linked to the structural and functional maturation of the adolescent brain. This project will also examine how these biological changes impact cognition and mental health during adolescence. The Associate Research Fellow will play a central role in synthesising neuroimaging (MRI) data collected by researchers worldwide to address these research questions. The incumbent will also develop expertise in analysing multiple neuroimaging modalities and longitudinal methodologies.
Reporting to the Lead Researcher, the Associate Research Fellow will be responsible for:
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- Organising and pre-processing (e.g., quality control) multimodal neuroimaging data using fMRI, DTI, structural MRI, and other modalities.
- Undertaking advanced statistical analyses.
- Developing relevant project documents to support collaborations (such as data transfer arrangements).
- Coordinating data contributions and developing effective working relationships with international research groups.
- Setting up and managing complex data storage requirements.
- Working closely with an interdisciplinary team, collaborators, and consortia.
- Publishing research findings in journals and presenting at international conferences. Opportunity for first-author manuscripts will be encouraged.
- Mentoring junior researchers, graduate students, and interns.
- Conducting other tasks to complete the goals of the funded research (including ethics applications).
To be successful, you’ll have:
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- PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, Neuroimaging, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
- An interest in and knowledge of neuroimaging and adolescent brain development.
- Experience with any of the following is highly desirable: Proficiency in neuroimaging tools (e.g., FSL, SPM, Freesurfer, Mrtrix) and some familiarity with programming languages (e.g., R scripting, Python, MATLAB).
- Demonstrated record of superb scientific writing skills, and a strong publication record in relevant domains.
- Ability to work independently and in a collaborative manner with a diverse group of scientists.
Closing date 4th March, 2025
Application Instructions:
For the postdoc job listing, please submit your updated resume, a brief cover letter, and responses to the Key Selection Criteria at DEAKIN CAREERS or via SEEK.
For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Tim Silk (Professor) via tim.silk@deakin.edu.au.
For the PhD scholar, visit HDR Scholarship - Adolescent Brain Development.
We will review your submission and reply with any questions.