OPM Research Fellow

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology

Job Description

OPM Research Fellow

Research Department: Imaging

Neuroscience

Reports to

Director, Professor Mike Hanna

Head of Research Department, Professor Martina Callaghan Prinicipal Investigator, Dr Tim Tierney

Research Fellow

Line manager: Dr. Tim Tierney

Context

Grade: 7

Location: 12 Queen Square / On-Site First Structure of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Over the past 30 years, the Department of Imaging Neuroscience, home to the internationally renowned Functional Imaging Laboratory (FIL), has pioneered the development and application of imaging techniques to advance our understanding of the human brain. It continues to play a leading role in progressing and transforming research in many areas of neuroscience. The Department hosts multiple large-scale collaborative grants including the Wellcome-funded Discovery Research Platform for Naturalistic Neuroimaging, and the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research.

The Department seeks to answer fundamental questions about how the brain works, particularly in contexts more representative of our everyday lives, in order to increase our understanding of realworld cognition and improve human health. The Department hosts and trains many clinicians, scientists and professional services staff, and has close collaborations with other departments within the Institute of Neurology, across UCL, nationally and internationally. It is also home to Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), the world's most popular software tool for analysing neuroimaging data.

The Department is equipped with a range of research-dedicated neuroimaging technologies, including a 7 T MRI scanner (Siemens Terra), two 3 T MRI scanners (Siemens Prisma), a cryogenically cooled

MEG system (CTF/VSM) and a ‘wearable’ optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) system for measuring electrophysiological signals from the brain and spinal cord.

Main purpose of the job

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join Dr Tierney’s team at the Functional Imaging Laboratory (FIL) in the Department of Imaging Neuroscience. You will work on translating nextgeneration brain imaging - optically pumped magnetoencephalography (OP-MEG) - from the research setting into routine clinical practice.

In this role, you will lead two core workstreams. The first will involve acquiring and analysing prolonged OPM recordings from patients with epilepsy to refine seizure localisation and map critical functional brain networks. The second will involve directly comparing conventional OPM operation within magnetically shielded room (MSR) against a pioneering portable system that does not require a MSR (“ unshielded OPMs ”), removing a critical infrastructure barrier that currently restricts widespread clinical adoption.

This is a unique opportunity to gain extensive, hands-on training at the forefront of human neuroimaging, working within a collaborative environment dedicated to turning cutting-edge science into tangible improvements in patient care.

The post is available from 01 December 2026 and funded by a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) until 30 November 2029 in the first instance.

Duties and responsibilities

• Identify and recruit suitable participants fulfilling inclusion criteria for the studies.
• Design and implement experimental paradigms for characterising eloquent cortex.
• Design analysis pipelines for analysing long clinical recordings (many hours).
• Integrating and documenting software solutions in the Department’s SPM software, and contributing to the development, maintenance and support of this and other collaborative software, e.g., through the use of GitHub repositories.
• Adapt the “unshielded OPM system” so that it is suitable for clinical recordings.
• Collaborate with UCL Q-BIOMED (https://www.qbiomed.org/) to promote advancement of quantum technologies (OPMs) in healthcare applications.

Teaching, research, and development

• Provide teaching on topics related to your work as requested by your line manager or Head of Research Department.
• Contribute to your Department’s multidisciplinary research projects as aligned with the departmental strategy.
• Prepare and analyse data for publications for the dissemination of research and for presentation at internal meetings at UCL, meetings with external collaborators, and national and international conferences.

General

• Attend and contribute to Departmental, Institutional, and university meetings, committees, and initiatives as appropriate.

• Always act in accordance with the highest professional standards and ensure that these are maintained in the delivery of all aspects of research.
• Actively promote equality of opportunity and inclusivity, supporting policy within the remit of your role.
• Ensure the highest standard of record keeping, maintaining accurate, complete, and up-todate records.
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained as applicable.
• Follow and actively promote the UCL Ways of Working.
• Takes responsibility to carry out duties in a way that embodies UCL's environmental and social sustainability values, actively supporting objectives within the remit of your role.

UCL’s Equal Opportunity

UCL's Sustainability Strategy, policies and The above description is not exhaustive, and you will be required to undertake any other duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope, spirit, and purpose of the post.

Job descriptions are reviewed on a regular basis including at the annual appraisal. As duties and responsibilities change, the job description may be amended in consultation with the post-holder.

You will be expected to actively follow all UCL policies and procedures and complete UCL mandatory training, maintain an awareness of Fire and Health & Safety Regulations, attend meetings as required, and undertake such training and development as may be needed for the post.

All staff are required to act professionally, cooperatively, and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the Institute’s Code of Conduct.

Person Specification

Note to job applicant: copy and paste the following criteria into your “Statement in support of your application” and describe underneath each criterion how you meet it, giving examples. You will be scored on how you meet each criterion.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

PhD (or be close to obtaining) in Physics/Engineering or a related discipline Experience acquiring EEG/MEG or OPM data Experience analysing EEG/MEG or OPM data Knowledge of control systems engineering (e.g. active shielding use in OPM recordings)

Skills and abilities

Strong programming skills, e.g. in MATLAB, Python, C, C++ or LabVIEW Evidence of independent and creative work in the development and deployment of hardware solutions in brain imaging/stimulation systems Excellent oral and written communication skills Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines Good inter-personal skills with an ability to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting

Desirable Criteria

Experience working with people with neurological/psychiatric conditions

Interview / Practical Test)

Experience of contributing to, maintaining and documenting collaborative software, e.g., through the use of version control software such as GitHub Experience working with real-time data acquisition and analysis systems

Apply

To apply for this position visit: ucl.ac.uk/jobs Please complete the online application form and use the supporting statement section to outline your interest in joining Dr Tierney’s group at the Department of Imaging Neuroscience, and how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please also upload a recent CV.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute HR Team, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, 23 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG (email: ion.hradmin@ucl.ac.uk).

For informal enquiries about the role please contact Dr Tim Tierney (email: tim.tierney.12@ucl.ac.uk).

The post is available from 01 December 2026 and funded by EPSRC until 30 November 2029 in the first instance.

Salary

The post is graded as UCL Grade 7 with salary in the range £47,186 - £ 55,099 per annum, including

London Allowance.

Progression through the salary scale is incremental. Cost of living pay awards are negotiated st nationally and are normally effective from 1 August each year.

Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant/Grade 6B (salary £40,603 - £43,749 per annum inclusive of London Allowance) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis. It is expected that you will have had your viva prior to commencing in post.

Probation

Appointments are subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a probationary period of nine months.

Hours of work

Full time, 36.5 hours per week; times of work are as determined by the line manager or Director.

Hybrid working arrangements

The nature of this role requires you to spend most of your time working on-site (On-site First) and you are expected to spend at least 80% of your working hours on campus.

Annual leave

Annual leave is 27 working days for a full-time member of staff + 6 UCL closure days in addition to 8 Bank Holidays.

Pension

Appointments are superannuable under Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)

Other benefits

UCL is a dynamic, global university based in one of the most exciting capital cities in the world. Not only does working at UCL offer the opportunity to work with some of the greatest intellects in the world, it also offers competitive terms, conditions and benefits to its staff. In our 2025 staff survey, 95% of ION staff rate the Institute as an enjoyable place to work and over 90% feel that the Institute has a positive working culture.

As part of the UCL community you can access free lunch hour lectures, exhibitions and museums and collections. On campus UCL has the Bloomsbury theatre hosting a range of performances and a series of bars, cafes, and other facilities, which UCL staff can use.

In addition to 41 days annual leave (inclusive of public holidays and closure days) and generous pension schemes, UCL provides a number of other staff benefits.

UCL benefits and policies apply equally, whatever the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of employees. Benefits and policies relating to employees’ partners includes both different sex and same sex partners.