Research Assistant in Children's and Young Peoples Cancer

Salary: £32,296 to £33,882  per annum

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: 10 December 2024

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join a team running VIVO biobank (https://vivobiobank.org/). This is a large national Children’s and Young People’s Cancer biobank formed from the merger of the Children’s Cancer & Leukaemia Group (CCLG) Tissue Bank and the Blood Cancer UK leukaemia CellBank in 2022. 

Key roles are processing sample registration forms received from over 20 UK sites participating in biobanking, arranging transfers of samples to Newcastle University central biobank facility and making payments to sites for samples received. 

Other key roles are processing biobank applications from responding to initial researcher enquiries, sending applications for peer review, collation of reports for committee review and feedback of outcome. Another key role is to provide administration for the VIVO biobank Patient Public Involvement & Engagement Group (PPIE). Other tasks include general data responsibilities in relation to biobanking including assisting tissue banking sites and genetic labs with remote data entry and checking data accuracy.

You will contribute to the VIVO biobank newsletter and interact with patients, public, funders (Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK) and researchers to promote the aims and values of VIVO bank and assist with social media presence and website updates. Another key role is to link with clinical trial units to set up and maintain ring fenced trial collections within the VIVO biobank. Other tasks include general data responsibilities in relation to biobanking including assisting tissue banking sites with remote data entry and checking data accuracy.

Two posts are available. These posts are will be shared with an existing post holder- Ms Beth Cragg who now works 0.2WTE remotely and linked to a post-holder on a related VIVO biobank project, Ms Robyn Watson.

The post is offered on a fixed term basis until 30 June 2027 subject to annual review.

For informal enquiries contact: Professor Deborah Tweddle (Deborah.Tweddle@newcastle.ac.uk) and Miss Robyn Watson (Robyn.Watson@newcastle.ac.uk).

Find out more about VIVO Biobank here: https://vivobiobank.org/

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/  
 
Find out more about our Research Institutes here: Medical Sciences Research Institutes

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role

Key Accountabilities:

• Contribution to the research programme under the clear guidance of a member of academic staff or Principal Investigator
• Use initiative and creativity to analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• 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, book)
• Work to deadlines and manage, with support, competing priorities
• Ensure that personal knowledge in relevant fields of study is kept up to date
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate
• Maintain academic standards and freedom and work in accordance with university policies (e.g., equal opportunities, health and safety policies)
• Possible supervision and demonstration duties within undergraduate. laboratories and example classes or in teaching small seminar classes
• Work with other VIVO Biobank research staff to register, transfer and pay for samples from banking sites to the biobank and then identify and locate samples for approved projects
• Work with the Newcastle Biobank technicians to retrieve samples and transfer to researcher laboratories
• Liaise with colleagues in VIVO Biobank and Newcastle Biobank on day-to-day activities and issues. This will also include liasing with colleagues at UK Biocentre where some liquid samples may be stored
• Liaise with genetic laboratories and banking centres to collect genetic and clinical information on existing samples
• Liaise with research nurses at different NHS sits to provide site training and a point of contact
• Assist the biobank manager working to open new banking sites, particularly Teenage and Young adult centres and liason with clinical trial units to store trial samples
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, deal with problems which may affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project
• Provide administrative support for the Sample and Data Access Committee and the Patient and the Public Involvement and Engagement Committee (PPIE)
• Assist with communication (including social media) and website updates including production of a regular VIVO biobank newsletters for stakeholders
• Undertake relevant training and development activities to develop capacity for taking on wider responsibilities to provide cover for other VIVO biobank colleagues

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of clinical and research sample management
• Experience of handling clinical tissue and knowledge of the Human Tissue Act (2004)
• Ability to use knowledge and experience when dealing with Health and Safety
• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and experience and awareness of the research environment
• Good level of analytical skills and the ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
• Good computing skills, ability to graph and statistically analyse data
• Ability to accurately transfer data from one medium to another (using paper based and electronic data capture)
• Ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve problems
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with colleagues

Desirable

• Experience in working with Excel and database programs
• Experience working in a research lab or a biobank
• Previous training in category 2 lab health and safety
• Experience with RedCap or other data entry platforms
• Experience with social media and/or website development 
• An understanding of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and other regulatory processes involved in clinical trials would be an advantage
   

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to work independently
• Well organised, with excellent time management skills
• Motivated and enthusiastic
• Innovative and flexible in approach
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong team-working ethos
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to work flexibly

Qualifications

• Good honours degree (or equivalent) in Life Sciences, preferably Biochemistry, Genetics, Physiology, Pharmacology or Biomedical Sciences 
• Relevant work experience e.g. practical laboratory work (preferably within a cancer related environment) with knowledge of medical terminology of cancer

Desirable

• Postgraduate research experience gained either via previous employment or during a Master’s degree in Life Sciences

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 silver 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: 27784