Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London – Public Engagement Assistant – deadline: ongoing

Name Institute of Neurology, University College London
Department Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London
Placement base location Online (London based Centre)
Website https://engagement.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/
Contact for enquiries Cassandra Hugill
Contact details

Email: c.hugill@ucl.ac.uk

Telephone: 07771452296

Placement job title Public Engagement Assistant
Potential start date Rolling
Potential working pattern

Daily work pattern: 8hrs/day

Total hours per week: 35

FT/PT: FT

Details of application method

CV, A4 cover letter emailed

Short Zoom interview if successful

Application closing date Ongoing
Overview of PIPS organisation

The UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (ION) in Queen Square was established in 1950, merged with UCL in 1997, and is a key component of the Faculty of Brain Sciences (FBS), School of Life and Medical Sciences (SLMS), at UCL. The Institute has eight academic research Departments (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/research/research-departments), which encompass clinical and basic research within each theme. In parallel, there are currently six Divisions representing clinical professional affiliations.

The mission is to translate neuroscience discovery research into treatments for patients with neurological diseases. In addition, a number of important research centres are based at the ION, affiliated with one of our academic research departments: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/research/research-centres.

The Institute is closely associated in its work with the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery (NHNN), University College London Hospitals’ NHS Foundation Trust, and in combination they form a national and international centre at Queen Square for teaching, training and research in neurology and allied clinical and basic neurosciences. The Institute also has active collaborative research programmes with other centres of excellence and works in close partnership with them: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/about/related.

About the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging

The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (WCHN) at the UCL Institute of Neurology is an interdisciplinary Centre for neuroimaging excellence. It hosts and trains over 100 clinicians, scientists and support staff, and interacts with over 200 collaborators both at UCL and throughout the world.

Our vision is to deliver clinically-transformative applications of neuroimaging that provide computationally-derived biomarkers for personalized prognosis and treatment planning. We investigate how the human brain functions in health and disease and how this knowledge can inform neuroimaging technologies with neuronal and behavioural modelling, we seek to establish non-invasive measures of brain function that can be used to identify the physiological processes associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders, deliver personalized prognoses, and develop or assess potential treatments.

As well as conducting scientific research, the Centre offers a wide range of educational and training opportunities to support the development of imaging neuroscience both nationally and internationally.

Within public engagement, the Centre’s vision is to create a substantial network of empowered people with neurological and psychiatric conditions to contribute to and influence our research and that of other neuroscientists across the UK. Our aim is to embed public engagement into the research process, equipping our researchers with the skills and experience to readily engage a wide community in their research.

Placement offered

We are currently seeking a Public Engagement Assistant to work with the Public Engagement Team at the leading Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London.

The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging has a strong culture of public engagement and the post holder would aid in building this culture further. We run a large number of projects working with people with neurological conditions, their carers and their loved ones. The final decision on which projects to the intern will be assigned to will be made following discussion between the intern and Public Engagement team. Responsibilities across the projects may include:

  1. Developing content for the website and other communications outputs
  2. Assisting in the delivery of an immersive art exhibition – both the digital and (COVID-dependent) physical exhibition
  3. Developing information and resources for research staff
  4. Assisting in focus groups, workshops and development of project materials (e.g. school kits)
  5. Working closely with the researchers, clinicians, artists, designers and creative facilitators on the two projects
  6. Collecting data for project evaluation
  7. Any other tasks related to the running of projects.

The post holder would be assisting the Public Engagement team to help deliver their projects, working primarily with the Public Engagement Officer. We are seeking someone with strong communications and organisational skills, experience of working with a diversity of people and lots of creativity! Prior experience in Public Engagement is not required. All work will be remote.

Financial contribution/benefit(s)
Bespoke training to meet the needs of the projects including evaluation, project management etc. Interns may also attend research talks if they have an interest.