Research Associate

Job content

Salary: £33,348 to £43,155 per annum pro-rata

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 25 April 2023

The Role

Your role is to perform cutting-edge research at the interface of human and computer colour vision. You will act as an independent research associate, designing and implementing both computer programs and visual psychophysics experiments that elucidate how humans perceive colour and how computers may mimic human perception in processing images. The psychophysical experiments will involve specialist spectrally tuneable lighting systems and colour displays. You will also contribute to ongoing projects and publications.

The project builds on the MULTI-LIGHT project, investigating the effects of multiple illumination sources on human colour perception and digital image colour correction. It interacts with other ongoing projects involved with spectrally tuning illumination to influence colour appearance and object affordance, for real objects and digital images.

The key tasks for this role are designing and implementing computer algorithms for colour image processing and visual psychophysical experiments using spectrally tuneable lighting systems and colour displays. Other tasks also involve coding in several computer languages, systems interfacing and troubleshooting, data analysis, and report writing.

You should demonstrate specific experience and a high level of expertise in these areas: illumination engineering, in particular with spectrally tuneable multi-channel LED lighting systems; colour science and colorimetry; display device technology; image processing; hyperspectral image acquisition and analysis and fundamentals of visual psychophysics. You should also be highly skilled in systems software and engineering, programming in C++, Matlab, Javascript, XML and statistical analysis. You will also be capable of working independently and to deadlines.

This post is part time and fixed term until 15th September 2024.

For informal enquiries contact: Professor Anya Hurlbert , anya.hurlbert@ncl.ac.uk

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here.

Find out more about our Research Institutes here.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles . These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities
Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial ’added value’
Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements
Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
Keep abreast of new, relevant technologies and software, and contribute to communications with key personnel in supply and support companies
Help to maintain web-based software and data repositories for lab or public access where appropriate (e.g. github repositories)

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
Detailed subject knowledge (PI to describe subject knowledge required) in the area of research
Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects
High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications
High level programming skills in XML, C/C++/C# family, Javascript and Matlab
Specific expertise with spectrally tuneable multi-channel LED lighting systems
Specific expertise with colour science and colorimetry
Specific expertise with visual psychophysics
Specific expertise with display device technology
Desirable
Well networked in UK Human-Computer Interaction research community
Experience with human-computer interfaces in other domains, such as haptics or tactile perception
Strong mathematical skills

Attributes and Behaviour
Keenness to discuss and debate alternative creative solutions to complex problems
Strong work ethic
Ability to work to deadlines, while staying clam
Willingness to help and educate others in your area of expertise
Active enjoyment of and contributions to diversity in the workplace

Qualifications
A PhD in Computing Science

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.

In addition we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 25362