Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term)

The Opportunity

We are seeking individuals with strong academic background and entrepreneurial ambitions to join our academic lab. You would be joining a team focused on translating novel wearable medical devices from academic prototypes to clinical adoption, with home-based feasibility testing starting in 2027. Our lab is aiming to translate this with a spin-out in the next 24-48 months. These devices focus on measuring various body and eye movement metrics, and pair with rehabilitation apps.

Funding has been secured for SENSE Lab to cover a postdoctoral researcher for 12 months, with potential scope for ongoing involvement in a future spin-out company,. Position could be extended dependent on further funding and new project requirements.

The work sits at the intersection of algorithm design, human biomechanics, electronic engineering and hardware development, driven strongly by the lab's clinical expertise. Individuals with a multidisciplinary skillset and analytical background would particularly enjoy the role at the cutting edge of academic research and development. We would be interested in applicants with either of the two following profiles:

Potential Profile A: Biomechanics, Sensing & Data

You may have a background in areas such as:

• Human biomechanics, movement science or biomedical engineering

• Inertial measurement units (IMUs) and wearable sensing

• Experimental data collection

• Signal processing and sensor-data processing

• Sensor fusion, algorithm development or validation

Potential Profile B: Electronics, Instrumentation & Hardware

You may have a background in areas such as:

• PCB design and prototyping

• Microcontrollers and embedded programming

• Electronic and/or material design for biosignal acquisition

• Hardware integration, testing and validation

We are also interested in people who don't fit neatly into either profile, but feel their background is well suited for this.

What You Will be Doing

Activities may include:

• Developing algorithms for extracting clinically meaningful metrics from sensor data

• Building device testing platforms (e.g. web, smartphone or tablet-based apps)

• Running experiments to collect data and test device usability, informing future design iterations

• Designing, prototyping and testing electronic hardware

• Integrating sensors, electronics, firmware and analysis software

• Ensuring the devices adhere to medical device regulations

The precise balance of activities will be shaped by the successful candidate's skills and interests.

What You Will Join

Successful candidates will work on translating our wearable sensor-based platforms from the lab to clinical adoption. These platforms seek to enhance the treatment of vestibular and balance disorders by providing objective clinical metrics, originating from prior and ongoing research in SENSE Lab. Having established the clinical need and viability, the team's focus has turned towards translating the devices from research prototypes into certified medical devices, ready to enter the market.

Having originated as an academic project, the team is looking to translate this in the near future, as a company, and the successful candidate could potentially be directly involved with the transition from the academic domain to a commercial entity.

Applications are invited for

Positions in an academic-based spinout: Research Assistant / Postdoctoral Research Associate, Wearable Sensing, Biomechanics, Signal Processing & Electronic Hardware.

Location: Onsite at Cambridge Biomedical Campus

Contract: 1 year full time

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For questions relating to the post, please contact Professor Manohar Bance at mlb59@cam.ac.uk, or Dr Iwan Roberts at ivr22@cam.ac.uk

Appointment at Research Associate level (Grade 7) is dependent upon having been awarded their PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet had their PhD conferred will be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5). Upon award the successful candidate will transfer to a Research Associate position.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Closing Date: 1st November 2026

Interview Date: to be confirmed

Please quote reference RR51415 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.