Research Assistant / Associate

Salary: Research Assistant £33,951 - £35,608

            Reserach Associate £36,636

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. 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: 09 October 2026

The Role

We are excited to launch this new opportunity for a Research Assistant or Associate in Lewy body dementia neuropathology in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University. You will join a diverse community of colleagues studying clinical and mechanistic aspects of Lewy body dementia (LBD), with a particular focus on clinical translation.

This fixed-term position will be to work on a project funded by Race Against Dementia to understand sex differences in LBD, a disorder that typically affects males more than females. The appointee will use a combination of proteomics and neurohistopathology methods to understand cellular processes that differ between males and females in the context of LBD, with a particular focus on oxidative stress responses.

We are looking for a candidate with demonstrable expertise in working with post-mortem LBD brain tissue, proteomics pathway analysis, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.

This is a fixed term position until 01 October 2027, with on-site working in our laboratory at Newcastle University required for most of the project. 

We follow the Researcher Development Concordat: Researcher Development | Our Research | Newcastle University. We enable all colleagues to fulfil their research potential regardless of career stage. This commitment secures our thriving research culture and vibrant research environment. Our offer to each individual and their researcher development includes mentoring, annual research planning discussions, pooled research funding to support career development and research activities, peer review support for the development of research and innovation funding applications’.

Please direct informal enquiries to Dr Daniel Erskine (daniel.erskine@ncl.ac.uk)

Applications must be made through the Newcastle University portal and CVs received by email will not be considered.

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: Faculty of Medical Sciences | Faculty of Medical Sciences | Newcastle University

Find out more about our Research Institutes: Translational and Clinical Research Institute | Faculty of Medical Sciences | Newcastle University

Key Accountabilities

Research Assistant

• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes.
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s).
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project.
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books).
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate.

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project.
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research.
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations.
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its 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.
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Research Assistant

• Knowledge/experience of:
• LBD neuropathology
• Handling human post-mortem tissue
• Analysis of proteomics outputs
• Immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence of human brain tissue
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems.

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and high quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

Research Assistant

• Honours degree in a biological science project or related discipline

In addition for Research Associate

• PhD in neuroscience with a focus on neuropathology 

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 Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer 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: 29758