About the Role
Job Description
To conduct research examining the alleviation of traumatic memories via Targeted Memory Reactivation in sleep with the specific aim of reducing symptoms of PTSD and or Depression. To carrying out research leading to the publishing of high-quality research and pursuing excellence in research and to inspire others to do the same.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Research
- To conduct research on the manipulation of memories during sleep with the aim of reducing the arousing content. This will be done using Targeted Memory Reactivation, and may involve overnight work in the sleep lab.
- To use wearable devices to measure sleep and deliver TMR, to develop protocols for running experiments with these devices.
- To collect EEG data in the lab, often overnight, to develop protocols for running such experiments.
- To collect and analyse EEG and behavioural data, and assist in training junior members of the team to help with these tasks.
- To help in recruitment and supervision of postgraduate research students involved in this project
- To develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research including research funding proposals
- To attend and or present at conferences/seminars at a local and national level as required, and publish research findings in leading journals.
- To undertake administrative tasks associated with the research project, including the planning and organisation of the project and the implementation of procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
- To prepare research ethics and research governance applications as appropriate
- To review and synthesise existing research literature within the field
- To participate in School research activities
- To build and create networks both internally and externally to the university, to influence decisions, explore future research requirements, and share research ideas for the benefit of research projects.
Other
-To engage effectively with industrial, commercial and public sector organisations, professional institutions, other academic institutions etc., regionally and nationally to raise awareness of the School’s profile, to cultivate strategically valuable alliances, and to pursue opportunities for collaboration across a range of activities. These activities are expected to contribute to the School and the enhancement of its regional and national profile.
-To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
-To participate in School administration and activities to promote the School and its work to the wider University and the outside world
-Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.
Person Specification
IMPORTANT NOTE: When submitting your supporting statement, you must provide evidence as to how you meet each of the essential (and desirable if applicable) criteria below. We suggest that you do so by using each of the criteria as sub-headings, providing written evidence of your relevant skills underneath. Before uploading this attachment, please ensure that you include *****BR within the filename.
Essential Criteria
Qualifications and Education
Postgraduate degree at PhD level (or nearing completion / submission) in a related subject area or relevant industrial experience
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
An established expertise and proven portfolio of research and/or relevant industrial experience within 2 of the following research fields:
Programming in Python or Matlab
EEG analysis (ERPs and Time Frequency)
Machine learning
Sleep scoring or analysis of sleep elements (like spindles or Sos)
Knowledge of the contemporarily literature relating to 2 of the above areas
Proven ability to publish in international journals and present at international conferences and/or other create research outputs
Knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding enabling future applications to funding bodies
Communication and Team Working
Proven ability in effective and persuasive communication
Ability to supervise the work of others to focus team efforts and motivate individuals
Other
Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and team-working within work
Proven ability to work without close supervision
Desirable Criteria
Relevant professional qualification(s)
Evidence of collaborations with industry
Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community
Evidence of ability to participate in and develop both internal and external networks and utilise them to enhance the research activities of the School
Salary Range Min.
41,064
Salary Range Max.
46,049
About the Company
The NaPS Lab in Cardiff is seeking a research associate exploring the use of Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR) in sleep to alleviate PTSD. This post relates to an extremely exciting 5-year research project in which we are developing novel treatments for depression and PTSD through the manipulation of memory in sleep. This post will focus on the triggering of negative memories in REM sleep in order to decouple the arousal and render them less upsetting. We expect to use EEG classifiers to index the reactivation elicited by TMR, and will also use both structural and functional MRI to examine the impacts of our manipulation. We hope to use wearable devices and perform some of this work at home, but some experiments will also be lab based (and require overnight working).
This project is funded by the Wellcome Trust on a multi-center grant lead Penny Lewis, who specializes in the study of what sleep does to our memories, and is based at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre CUBRIC. The post-holder will join a team of researchers including Depression researcher (and Consultant Psychiatrist) Neil Harrison, PTSD specialist (and Consultant Psychiatrist) Jon Bisson at the Welsh National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), and Tim Denison, who leads a team of research engineers in Oxford who are developing the wearable device which we will use in this project.
Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) is one of the best equipped neuroscience institutes in Europe, housing 3 MRI scanners, including a 7T and a Connectom scanner, a MEG, EEG labs, a brain stimulation lab, and of course the state of the art sleep lab. The Welsh National Center for Mental Health is just next door. The Neuroscience and Psychology of Sleep (NaPS) group is housed within CUBRIC, and conducts world-leading research on the impacts of sleep on cognitive processes.
This post is full-time (35 hours per week) fixed term for 33 months or until 31st May 2029 (which ever is sooner) available from the 1st March 2026.
Salary: £41,064 - £46,049 per annum (Grade 6). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.
Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl. bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It's an exciting and vibrant place to work with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter. Business needs will require some degree of office-based working, but the balance of time can be spent in the office or remotely (subject to agreement with the line manager).
Date advert posted: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Closing Date: Tuesday, 23 December 2025
Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.
Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University