Postdoctoral Research Fellow

About The Role

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

This full-time post is available from 1 December 2026 on a fixed-term basis until 1 June 2028 (18 months) and is funded by the University of Exeter and Smiths Detection strategic partnership.

The Role

The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences brings together research and education across medicine, health, psychology, and sport and health sciences, with a shared focus on improving health, performance and wellbeing. This post sits within the Applied Cognitive Science team in the Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, which examines how people perceive, decide and act in demanding real-world environments, using methods spanning psychophysiology, eye tracking, computational modelling and immersive technologies.

This job advert is for a postdoctoral research role working on a research project in the aviation security sector with Smiths Detection. Smiths Detection builds the technology used by many airports to keep their passengers, customers and infrastructure safe from threats. Specifically, they build baggage-scanning technology and train the human operators needed to detect threats inside luggage and cargo.

The current project is interested in understanding what competencies an operator needs to use the technology effectively, how artificial intelligence might facilitate performance, and how we might best select and train the right people for the task. As such, a background in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science or education is needed.

About You

The post-holder will deliver research projects both in a laboratory setting and in the field with stakeholders. They will then be responsible for disseminating these findings and working with stakeholders to generate real-world impact from the research. The post-holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project, liaising with colleagues at the University of Exeter, partners at Smiths Detection, and stakeholders in the aviation sector. The role is intended to generate new knowledge through research and translate this knowledge into real-world impact.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will have experience in one of the following areas: cognitive science, psychology, artificial intelligence or education, and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and facilitate the transfer of knowledge into impact for stakeholders.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Further Information

Please contact Prof Sam Vine, S.J.Vine@exeter.ac.uk.

About Us

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines;
• Support teams that understand the University wide teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly;
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development;
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supports high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career;
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy;
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon/Cornwall.