Research Assistant/Associate

Salary:

Research Assistant: £30,619 to £32,411 per annum

Research Associate: £33,348 to £43,155 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: 23 March 2023

The Role

An opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual with a background in transcriptomics and cancer to join a diverse team of investigators exploring mechanisms of skin tumour formation in humans. The project is funded by the Medical Research Fund, and will take place in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute at Newcastle University. 

The post will be led by the Rajan Lab, in collaboration with the Haniffa and O’Toole Labs, and will focus on the study of skin inflammation in diverse, understudied, single gene disorders that disrupt the skin barrier at single cell resolution to improve the understanding of inflammation in ichthyoses. Skin inflammation underpins the majority of skin conditions faced by adolescents. An improved understanding of skin inflammation in severe ichthyoses (where the skin barrier is dysfunctional) at single cell resolution has relevance for both ichthyosis patients as well as patients with common conditions such as eczema. 

Here we plan to study severe ichthyoses using multi-omic single cell and spatial transcriptomic approaches that allow detailed study of single cells. Collectively these approaches will inform the understanding of the skin barrier.  

This post is fixed term for a period of 12 months

For informal enquiries contact: Neil Rajan (neil.rajan@ncl.ac.uk) 

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here.

Find out more about our Research Institutes here.

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.

 
Key Accountabilities
•    Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value' 
•    Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements 
•    Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
•    Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding 
•    Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
•    Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
•    Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and 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
•    May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants 
•    Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
•    May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
•    Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 
•    Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
•    Detailed subject knowledge in the area of research 
•    Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects 
•    High level of analytical and problem-solving capability 
•    Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others 
•    Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
•    Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 
•    Experience of flow cytometry of cell suspensions from tissues
•    Experience of tissue sectioning and immunostaining tissue sections

Desirable
•    Existing knowledge of single cell sequencing library preparation
•    Prior experience of analysing single cell datasets
•    Prior experience with single cell sequencing library generation
•       Prior publications reflecting ability to carry out basic bioinformatics with single cell datasets.

Attributes and Behaviour
•    Demonstrates ability to create transcriptomic sequencing libraries
•    Keeps up to date with new / improved bioinformatics knowledge, skills, techniques and research
•    Ability to work to deadlines and manage conflicting priorities
•    Demonstrates development of intellectual independence within the particular research field and academic discipline via their outputs
•    Possesses the ability to evaluate  concepts/theories  in  order  to  develop original solutions and particular knowledge of, and expertise in, research methodologies appropriate to their area of scholarship
•    Commitment to development to include extensive reading and literature/bioinformatics methods review to continue development as a future research leader in the specific field

Qualifications

•    A PhD in biological sciences (for appointment at Research Associate level)
•    Close to submission of a PhD (for appointment at Research Assistant level)
•    Honors degree in relevant subject (desirable)
 

Newcastle is an inclusive global University community 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 Global 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 our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, as well as being open to flexible working practices.

The University holds a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. The University is also a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 25196