The evolutionary origins of mapping social connections
Research Fellow (primate cognition)
Salary- £33,045 - £38,026 per annum
Full time/ 3 year fixed term position (October 2026 - October 2029)
About the Role
In this role, you will lead the development of cognitive experimental research, in connection with the Leverhulme Trust funded project, ‘The evolutionary origins of mapping social connections’. You will work alongside Dr Jamie Whitehouse, and collaborators Dr Sébastien Ballesta and Prof. Bridget Waller.
"To be successful in a complex social world, understanding the connections between others beyond personal connections is paramount. Individuals differ in their ability to create a mental map of these connections, but why they differ, and what causes this, remains unexplained. We propose that the ability to process facial expressions and thus build an understanding of others’ relationships, is key to explaining these differences. Through a series of cognitive experiments and behavioural studies with non-human primates, we will identify the role of reading faces in the evolution of mentalising maps of social connections."
As Research Fellow, you will use your creativity to design and implement a battery of cognitive tests on free-ranging primates housed within the Centre for Primatology (SILABE, University of Strasbourg, France), using automated testing facilities. You will measure how accurately individuals represent the social relationships in their group, and the extent to which is accuracy can be explained by facial expression processing, identity processing, social memory, social motivation and other relevant socio-cognitive abilities. This position will include practical experience with semi free-ranging macaques. You will lead data collection, analysis, interpretation, publication and dissemination of research and may assist in the supervision of a PhD Student on the project.
Please see here for further details about the project: https://jamiewhitehouse.github.io/mappingconnections/ . For informal queries about the position before applying, please don't hesitate to contact Jamie Whitehouse (jamie.whitehouse@ntu.ac.uk)
For more details, please take a look at the role profile. We'll still consider applications even if you don't meet every single one of the requirements, so don't be put off if you don't match them perfectly. To ensure the diverse needs of our team are met we actively encourage secondments and offer flexible part-time working patterns - we're focused on finding the right person for the role. International applicants welcome.
Interview date: Week Commencing 6th July or Week Commencing 13th July
About Us
NTU Psychology is recognised nationally and internationally for delivering theoretically informed and applied research. Within the UK we are the largest provider of full-time undergraduate degrees in psychology. Our pre-covid NSS scores for overall satisfaction was above 90% for eight years and since covid have been ahead of the sector average and sector benchmarks. We provide a learning experience of the highest quality to our students and pride ourselves as being at the forefront of sector innovations in teaching and learning. As a department we have co-written the introductory Essential Psychology textbook for SAGE, recently completing the 4th edition.
Our excellence is recognised internationally, with the recent QS 2023 World University rankings, putting us in the top 150 departments for psychology worldwide. At NTU Psychology we are committed to quality, diversity and inclusion and have achieved Athena SWAN recognition at the department level. You will be joining a very large, lively, diverse, collegiate and ambitious team. Colleagues in the department have a range of backgrounds, spanning most areas of psychology, which is reflected in the range of our research groups and our course portfolio.
For any informal queries about the role or the team, please contact Jamie Whitehouse (Senior Lecturer) at jamie.whitehouse@ntu.ac.uk.
Join Us
Find out more about our academic community at NTU, including the support we offer to academics at all stages of their careers.
We also offer:
- 30 - 35 days annual leave per year plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata
- Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
- Opportunity to receive a bonus for exceptional performance and contribution
- Range of health and wellbeing services, including a Health Cash Plan, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.
- And a whole lot more…Find out more about the range of benefits we offer.
Come and be part of our success. Apply today.
Safe and Inclusive
At NTU, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our students and colleagues. By championing positive wellbeing, we promote an environment where all can thrive and reach their full potential. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team.
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
“Whilst this role may be suitable for individuals applying under the Global Talent visa route, we recommend that you assess your eligibility for this route before applying for the position. Further information can be found on the Government Global Talent visa guidance pages.
This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and successful applicants will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions.
