Research Technician

About us

UCL’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (ICN), is based in Queen Square, London. Our overall mission is to improve the lives, health and well‑being through world‑class patient centred research, education and public engagement. As a world‑class centre of excellence, UCL ICN is focused on interdisciplinary research bringing together different disciplines and combining behavioural studies with neuroimaging, brain stimulation and neurophysiology to understand both healthy cognitive function and disorders.

The Hamilton lab at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience studies the mechanisms of human social interaction. We are currently working to develop and use wearable sensors to understand how groups of young adults coordinate and form social connections.

This project is a focused piece of work in collaboration with Prof Ward at Goldsmiths Computing. We aim to develop a multi‑person wearable sensor system that can track the heart‑rate of 5–30 adults simultaneously as they take part in social tasks. This will be a platform built on the SDK of the Polar H10 heart rate sensor.

• MSc or good BSc in Computer Science, Electronic Engineering or relevant industrial/practice experience
• Knowledge of methods for collecting, streaming, and processing on‑body sensor‑data
• Experience with Bluetooth communication and its limitations

• Expertise in Python (with additional expertise in other languages like C++, Java)
• Practical problem‑solving skills
• Ability to build and hack embedded/ubiquitous systems, particularly sensor‑based systems
• Strong organisational skills to work as part of a team

• Commitment to and knowledge of advancing equality, diversity and inclusion
• Experience working with Polar H10 or similar
• Experience working with multiple sensor devices

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On‑Site nursery
• On‑site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme:
  Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance Search UCL Rewards and Benefits

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Customer advert reference: B02-10736

£38,199 including London Allowance (see Job Description)