Postdoctoral Researcher

Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (CBCD)

Purpose and Main Duties

A research level 2 (postdoctoral scientist) post is available at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (CBCD). The CBCD, is a founder member of the Centre for Educational Neuroscience (CEN). The CEN was established in 2008 to further translational research between neuroscience and education, and establish new trans-disciplinary accounts in the learning sciences. The CBCD currently involves about seventy people, all part of a strong team in a friendly working environment.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scientist to contribute to the UnLoCKE Project (Understanding Learning of Counterintuitive Concepts through Knowledge Interference Control in Science and Mathematics Education) recently funded by the Wellcome Trust and Educational Endowment Foundation.

The postdoctoral scientist will be a member of the CEN and based in CBCD, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck. The development of inhibition and control of interference has long been established as a central limiting factor in cognitive development. Children have the capacity to make inhibitory responses from infancy, but only gradually get better at using this ability. A central factor in mathematics and science education is the need for children to inhibit pre-existing beliefs or superficial perception in order to engage in acquiring and applying new and counterintuitive knowledge.

In science education, this “conceptual change” is a formidable obstacle in acquiring knowledge that goes beyond popular belief or perception. In mathematics, the child needs to go beyond the perceptually obvious solutions to understand and apply formal logical solutions to a problem. Children’;s ability to inhibit direct perceptual evidence or pre-existing beliefs in favour of counterintuitive, but correct, concepts, is thought to contribute to their science and maths performance.

The primary aim of the project is to develop and pilot a novel intervention for primary school children based on these principals. The successful application will lead the development of the intervention materials, which will closely match the primary sciences and maths curriculum. They will work in collaboration with another postdoctoral scientist responsible for implementing the intervention materials within a pre-existing computer platform.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates should have substantial experience of developmental behavioural experimental methods, as well as experience running research within a school setting. Candidates would ideally have experience of teaching science and maths to primary school children. The empirical work will be carried out at local primary schools. In collaboration with Professor Mareschal and the UnLoCKE team, the successful applicant will lead the empirical component of the project consisting of developing the materials and running a pilot intervention testing the materials and computer programme in eight schools. This post will require working within schools, testing primary school children, liaising with teachers, headteachers and parents, analysing data associated with this grant, and the possible supervision of research assistants and possible students. This post requires excellent interpersonal skills and experience working with children, preferably within a school setting. 

About the Department

For further information about the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, please visit the following website: www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk

Further Information

Salary: Grade 7 of the College’s London Pay Scale which is £36,150 rising to £41,318 per annum.

This post is full time, 35 hours per week (1.0 FTE) and fixed term for 18 months. The salary quoted above is on the College’s London Pay Scale and includes a consolidated Weighting/Allowance which applies only to staff whose normal contractual place of work is in the Greater London area. The initial salary will be dependent on the skills and experience of the successful applicant. The appointment is subject to a probationary period of 12 months. Birkbeck also provides a generous defined benefit pension scheme, 31 days paid leave, flexible working arrangements and other great benefits.

The closing date for completed applications is midnight on Sunday 13 December 2015.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 6 January 2016.

For further information on this opportunity contact Professor Denis Mareschal [d.mareschal@bbk.ac.uk].

A link to the PDF document containing the job description and person specification is below.

Birkbeck is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all candidates irrespective of their sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief. Birkbeck is a member of the ‘positive about disability’ two ticks scheme and guarantees to interview all candidates who meet the essential criteria for the post.