Research Associate: Computational Imaging Informatics

Salary: £35,116 - £45,413  per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellentbenefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 28 February 2025

The Role

This new position is a key role in the Informatics and Precision Care for an Ageing Population Theme within the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Funding of more than £23 million was secured in late 2022 for our fourth successive BRC. This new additional strand which interfaces with other disease-focussed themes.

The principal aim of the Theme is to integrate disparate, complex datasets within and across a range of diseases. We aim to consolidate our established strengths and existing data resources in, for example, single cell genomics, computational imaging and precision medicine while exploring how data from each source can inform and enrich the interpretation of the others.

With this, we seek to gain new insights into patient heterogeneity and clinical phenotypes, identify novel biomarkers and surrogate endpoints, and overcome limitations of individual modalities such as scalability or generalisability, providing clinically meaningful insights for direct patient benefit and realising the promise of precision care. The Theme fully integrates these approaches in two exemplar disease areas (cancer and chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease) while using similar approaches to address questions of precision care in patient populations from other BRC Themes. 

You will play a central role in ensuring our success in projects based on computational imaging and associated AI algorithm development, using both histopathology and radiology imaging data. A key aspect will involve the incorporation of radiology images and clinical data into an existing, early stage, pathfinder project developing a deep learning approach to the classification of lymphoma using digital histopathology image files. This will involve developing pipelines for image transfer, handling and pre-processing, as well as implementing computational approaches to the integration of this multimodal data into a classification model.

You will also be expected to provide support and guidance for other digital imaging projects under development in both the histopathology and radiology domains within the BRC Theme. In these ways, you will both contribute to the delivery of specific projects and help strengthen the framework underpinning computational medical imaging projects in our institutions. 

You will be based in state-of-the-art facilities within both the Faculty of Medical Sciences (Translational and Clinical Research Institute) and Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (School of Computing) at Newcastle University. Together, the Faculties have a vibrant community of biomedical, medical and computational scientists working together across many of the Faculties’ research themes, interacting closely with medical colleagues at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and other regional Trusts.

Our Innovation Hubs provide advanced methodology and access to the latest research infrastructure and you will have access to excellent computing facilities suitable for digital pathology and radiomics.  

As part of our commitment to career development for research staff, the University has developed 3 levels ofresearch role profiles.

These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of you at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

This full time, fixed term until 31st March 2028.

Further information by contacting Dr Chris Bacon (). 

Key Accountabilities

• Undertake agreed research within your defined area of expertise (such as machine learning, computational image analysis, bioinformatics, programming). You will be required to contribute to all aspects of the work, from the development of protocols through to production of the final report/paper.
• Provision of advice on computational imaging informatics to researchers in proposal development, grant writing and project delivery.
• Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value' 
• Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements 
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding 
• Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants 
• Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
• May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential

• Demonstrable programming proficiency in Python using the Pytorch/TensorFlow framework.
• Experience with computational analysis of image datasets (such as digital pathology or radiology). 
• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
• Detailed subject knowledge in the area of artificial Intelligence, Image processing and Deep Learning
• Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects 
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capability 
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others 
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
• Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 

Desirable

• Experience of project management, including contribution to the preparation of proposals for research funding, and monitoring research progress and budgets.  
• A significant publication record in peer-reviewed journals commensurate with the stage of career. Involvement in drafting manuscripts.
• A track record of presenting research at national/international conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
• Evidence of collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams in academia, industry or healthcare.
• Experience with UNIX and Git version control.
• Strong mathematical ability, in areas such as differential calculus and mathematical optimisation.

Attributes and Behaviour
Essential

• Ability to work independently and as part of a research project team.
• Ability to work to deadlines, prioritise key tasks and manage conflicting priorities.
• Excellent organisational, time management, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to personal development to continue development as a future research leader in the specific field.
• Keeps up to date with new/improved knowledge, skills, techniques and research in relevant research areas.
• Expectation and willingness to sometimes work outside normal office hours including weekends and to work away from main laboratory site including national and international collaborative visits.

Qualifications

Essential

• A PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Biomedical Sciences, Physics or Engineering or a similar discipline with an interest in Life Sciences and experience in biological or image informatics, programming and/or related disciplines.
   

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver  Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold aRace Equality CharterBronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are aDisability Confidentemployer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 27911