The applicants must hold a PhD in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, or related disciplines (e.g., old age psychiatry) and must have experience of conducting behavioural research in cognitive ageing, and testing patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and/or early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
A team of researchers at the University of Hertfordshire and the Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are seeking a highly motivated and well-organized individual (with a particular interest in improving diagnosis and care for Dementia patients) to work on a project investigating a variety of simple cognitive tasks involving a spontaneous retrieval component. The work has the potential to change the current understanding of cognitive processes that are most disrupted at early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and may result in the development of simple tests that can have greater diagnostic accuracy than the currently used test batteries. A mixture of different methods (experiments, diaries, etc.) will be used, some of which may result in improved wellbeing and care of patients at early stages of the disease.
The post holder will be expected to contribute to the design of appropriate studies and the day to day running of the project, including preparation of NHS ethics applications, recruitment and cognitive/behavioural testing of participants, data entry and analysis, and liaising with colleagues and clinicians from the NHS. They will also be involved in supervising students, grant writing, dissemination of initial findings and preparing papers for publication in high impact journals. In addition to having excellent organizational skills and an ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment, the successful candidate will be expected to work independently when necessary and contribute to the development of ideas and studies based on their own research expertise and background in cognitive ageing and Alzheimer’s disease.
The post holder should have relevant conceptual and methodological knowledge and experience of conducting research in cognitive ageing and related disciplines. They should have experience of disseminating findings to scientific audiences, and writing up journal publications, preferably in the areas related to the fellowship. Experience in recruiting and testing patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and/or early stage Alzheimer’s disease is highly desirable, but not essential. The post holder should have excellent oral and written communication skills in both spoken and written English and be able to establish good rapport and effective communication with older participants. At personal level, the post holder should be an approachable and easy going individual, who can establish good working relationship with team members, collaborators, and staff and students at the University. A driving license and willingness to drive is desirable.
Further information can be found here
