Postdoctoral Researcher (India Coordinator)

Salary Details: £32,600 per annum 

Allowances: £2,323 London Living Allowance 

Applications are invited for a Senior Postdoctoral Research Worker position for a joint project between the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences at King’s College, London and the National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore. We are seeking a talented and highly motivated individual to co-ordinate and oversee an international collaboration investigating the environmental and genetic factors underlying vulnerability to externalizing disorders and addictions in India (Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions [c-VEDA]). Using existing UK databases (IMAGEN, ALSPAC, SCAMP) for comparison, the project seeks to investigate if environmental risk factors in industrialized countries and emerging societies shape brain structure and function, and behavior in distinct ways, and whether this may lead to different risk constellations and neurobehavioral trajectories for externalizing disorders and addictions. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop a research project using the available datasets. The position will be located at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, but will involve frequent travels, including to Mysore, Mumbai, Chandigarh and West Bengal, as well as extended stays in London. The candidate would be recognized as equivalent to a research faculty at NIMHANS, Bangalore, where the position is located. The successful candidate will hold a degree in Medicine (Psychiatry) or a PhD in psychology, neuroscience or a related discipline.

Key objectives

• To coordinate and supervise the assessment of mental health, neuropsychological, neuroimaging and genomic measures as well as environmental exposure


• Contribute to the analysis, publication and dissemination of data arising from this project


• To frequently travel within India and the UK to oversee and support recruitment and characterisation of the study participants


• Attend and present at academic meetings and contribute to the visibility of the project and its aims


• Work as a conscientious and committed member of the team in order to achieve the aims of the project


• Liaise with the administrative team for the support of the project


• Undertake any other reasonable duties that may be relevant to the role outline


• Assist with the supervision of PhD and MSc candidates and with the general running of the group

Experience:

• Good clinical, academic or research experience after the completion of MD in psychiatry or a PhD in psychology, neuroscience or a related discipline


• Experience of successfully managing large clinical cohorts (either hospital based or in community)with ability to collaborate and collect data


• Experience of working with behavioural assessment tools and neuroimaging data is essential


• Knowledge and experience in genetic techniques is desirable


• Evidence of the ability to publish in high-impact scientific journals

The post will be based at NIMHANS Bangalore with regular visits to London as and when required.

For an informal discussion of the post please contact Stacey Pereira on Stacey.Pereira@kcl.ac.uk or Professor Gunter Schumann on Gunter.Schumann@kcl.ac.uk.

To apply for this post, you will need to register with the Hirewire system first to download and submit the application form. Please note, should you wish to submit a CV or a short statement, you will need to copy & paste these documents after the application form as the system will only accept one document to be uploaded.

Equality of opportunity is College policy.