Research Fellow (Olfaction Cheminformatics)

Post Title: Research Fellow (Olfaction Cheminformatics) 

SBU: School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science

FTE: 1 fte (full time working 37 hours per week) 

Duration of Contract: Fixed term until 13/8/2023 (with expectation to extend)

Salary: UH7 £35,333 per annum with potential to progress to £42,155 per annum on achieving designated skills and experience

Location: College Lane Campus, Hatfield, University of Hertfordshire, UK

Apply to join a team of computational neuroscientists, AI researchers and computer scientists who investigate the neuro-computational principles of the sense of smell and translate them into approaches for robot olfaction.

The available position is funded through the NSF/MRC NeuroNex grant “Odor2Action”, an international consortium of 16 world-leading research groups from the US, Canada, and the UK. The consortium will apply their joint expertise in computational and experimental neuroscience, behavioural studies, fluid dynamics, and fragrance chemistry to unlock how brains use natural stimuli to generate adaptive natural behaviours.

Our team uses machine learning, simulations, robotics and real-time machine olfaction to investigate the principles of odour-guided behaviour in animals. We use machine learning to analyse experimental data provided by collaborators and to gain a deeper insight into fragrance space.

Main duties & responsibilities

You will design and carry out research on cheminformatics in fragrance space in collaboration with international project partners. You publish your results and contribute to publications in the group, participate in meetings locally and with partners in the UK, US and Canada, and advise junior team members to carry out research.

You will attend project meetings within UH, nationally and internationally and seek external funding, as appropriate. The role will also require you to supervise undergraduate and post-graduate student projects related to the research field. In addition to this you will create opportunities to maximise the wider economic and social impact of research activities, capturing relevant evidence to support impact and engaging with external partners and stakeholders as appropriate.

Skills and experience needed

Experience in successfully carrying out a research project and publishing results is required, demonstrated by a PhD in a quantitative discipline subject.

We are looking for candidates with a strong background in machine learning and data science, as well as experience in computational chemistry and cheminformatics. Previous exposure to fragrance chemistry or research in olfaction and taste is a plus.

Having experience of presenting research findings such as contributions to conferences and symposia at a local and national level will be expected. You must have knowledge of research methodology appropriate for the subject area and of appropriate databases for the discipline. The role will require you to have an ability to deal with sensitive material with strict confidentiality.

You will have good oral and written communication skills in both spoken and written English, and excellent interpersonal skills. In addition to this, you will be flexible and adaptable to workload and team requirements. 

Qualifications required

Candidates will have an undergraduate honours degree at a minimum 2:2 (or equivalent) and a PhD (or equivalent qualification), or equivalent research experience in a relevant subject.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for more details. Please use your Personal Statement or upload a Supporting document which shows how you meet the Essential criteria in the Person Specification.

Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: Dr Michael Schmuker, [email protected], http://biomachinelearning.net  

Closing Date: 27 September 2022 

Interview date: To be confirmed

Reference Number: 044455 

Date advert placed: 12 September 2022

About the research team

The neuromorphic olfaction team is embedded in the Biocomputation Research Group, providing a rich and inspiring interdisciplinary research environment at the intersection of between Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Machine Learning. Computer Science research at UH excels in Biocomputation, Algorithms and Adaptive Systems/Robotics, with 90% of our outputs ranked as world leading or internationally recognised. UH is situated in the green belt just north of London, with frequent direct train connections to King’s Cross/St Pancras in under 30 minutes, and convenient access to Stansted and Luton airports.

Our vision is to transform lives and UH is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and building a diverse community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their protected characteristics. We offer a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave and discounted Sports Village memberships, personal and professional development and family friendly-policies. #GoHerts

Apply online at https://www.jobs.herts.ac.uk/go/044455