NMR / MRI Spectroscopy Specialist

Job title:

NMR / MRI Spectroscopy Specialist

Company

National Physical Laboratory

Job description

NPL is seeking an NMR specialist or an MRI specialist with experience in NMR to join its MRI team. The position would suit someone with experience in NMR characterisation of materials or biological samples materials (solid, liquid, solution, gaseous state experience is all relevant) and experience in time domain analysis. The vacancy is for a Higher Scientist position in the MRI team at NPL Teddington. We are looking for someone to help develop NPL’s new NMR spectrometer lab, including helping oversee the build as well as helping design and deliver future experimental work in the team. The job also involves close collaboration with NPL’s Data Science department developing new analysis methods and codes. The facility has a rampable main field and will be able to perform experiments across various field strengths up to a maximum of 300MHz, extending through all clinical MRI field strength and into the low- and ultra-low field regimes.The successful candidate will hold or be about to submit a PhD in an MR-related discipline and have hands-on experience of NMR spectroscopy. MRI specialists with experience in NMR are also very welcome to apply. The position includes working on the design and build of the NMR facility, leading into performing experimental and analysis work once the facility is up and running, and close collaboration with MRI specialists in the team across a variety of experimental and analytical projects, and also involve working closely with our academic, commercial, and metrological partners nationally and internationally. This full-time research scientist position is permanent, with a well-defined career path to more senior scientific roles and comes with a competitive salary and benefits package.This post requires expertise in working with small molecules in solution, and it is part of a project to build a system capable of making measurements of time-domain quantities relevant to MRI such as relaxivities and diffusion coefficients as well as measurements of fat and iron content of solutions via multiple methods, all with a firm grounding in metrological traceability and rigor. It’s a little different from standard analytical spectroscopy, but if you’re up for a unique challenge and want to do work that makes a big impact, then this is for you!MRI is a growth area at NPL, and the team is part of a world-class Medical Physics department and the MEMPHYS centre for metrology in medical physics, providing measurement expertise and services across the NHS and internationally. The work and challenges are dynamic and there is significant potential to contribute to its direction and priorities with your own strengths and ideas. We are developing new measurement expertise in several MR-based modalities to improve reproducibility, quantify confidence and uncertainty, and develop improved harmonisation and guidance for quantitative MRI in clinical and research applications. We collaborate closely with academic researchers at leading universities, clinical MR physicists, and companies developing MR test objects and hardware across the UK and internationally.Primary responsibilities include:

• Assisting with the design and build of a new, variable field NMR facility
• Acquiring and analysing MR data to support materials characterisation in multiple MR contrasts (quantitative T1, T2, diffusion, fat fraction, and iron content are current priorities, but this will change and expand with time)
• Designing and performing sets of experiments characterising materials across a range of main field strengths
• Working with collaborators and partners nationally and internationally, and with MR physicists in the NPL team and at our partner sites
• Investigating the uncertainties and biases associated with NMR acquisitions and analysis, and performing detailed numerical calculations
• Writing and publishing scientific research papers and giving presentations internally and externally
• Formulating and contributing to research proposals
• Contributing to the development and delivery of new measurement services
• Building and extending an internal and external network of collaborators and partners, working closely with scientists who are generating high-quality experimental data
• Assisting in PhD student supervision

The MRI team at NPL is committed to providing a metrological foundation for quantitative MRI with a strong and specific focus on methods for the clinic. We are supporting the application and rollout of quantitative methods in our own projects, in collaborations with other groups and institutions, and through participation in national and international efforts such as QIBA and NCITA, helping support the health and quality of life of the UK population.About YouYou will input towards the design and installation of a new NMR facility at NPL Teddington, bringing NMR expertise to the MRI team, contributing to technical discussions and design decisions, and working with other team members and contractors to deliver the new facility. As the facility comes online, the role will transition into pulse sequence implementation, materials characterisation, ongoing research, and the delivery of measurement services. A solid working knowledge of the physics of echo formation and quantitative parameter estimation is advantageous, as is experience with pulse programming.The position would suit a recent PhD graduate or junior postdoc with a experience in NMR spectroscopy, or someone with equivalent experience elsewhere. The role involves a broad range of NMR skills, and a strong background in NMR physics is essential, as are strong communication skills and an ability to work adaptively to changing requirements as the project matures.Skills required:

• A PhD (either completed or about to submit) or equivalent experience with NMR. MRI specialists with NMR experience are also welcome.
• A solid grasp of the physics of NMR spectroscopy and NMR spectrometer hardware
• A solid mathematical and computational background, including a working knowledge of at least one scientifically-appropriate language such as Python, R, C/C++, etc
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• A proven ability to publish research results

The following may be advantageous but not essential:

• Experience in pulse programming
• Experience in NMR hardware and facility design
• Experience in quantitative MR parameter estimation (e.g. measurement of T1/T2/ADC) from NMR data, including time-domain data
• Experience across a variety of magnet frequencies / field strengths

About UsWe actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process.The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our page.We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of . Our are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please

Expected salary

Location

England

Job date

Fri, 03 May 2024 04:04:30 GMT

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