Research Assistant/Research Associate - BioinformaticsBioinformatician

Salary:

Research Assistant: £31,396 to £32,982 per annum

Research Associate: £33,966 to £44,263 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: 02 June 2024

The Role

We are looking for a dynamic bioinformatician to analyse extensive omic datasets (e.g., single nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics) generated from muscle biopsies and other biological samples of patients affected by muscular dystrophies, to identify new disease mechanisms and biomarkers. 

This is a rare opportunity to work on several cutting-edge projects that will have a real and direct impact on patients’ lives. Joining our world-class international team of clinicians, scientists and bioinformaticians, you will be able to demonstrate evidence of completing bioinformatics project with a research environment and develop a strong background in human disease biology.   

You will work in the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, a centre for translational research in genetic neuromuscular diseases with around 90 team members.

This post is tenable for 24 months. 

The post will be based at the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (JWMDRC), a centre for translational research in genetic neuromuscular diseases with around 90 team members, at Newcastle University. 

Informal enquires to Prof. Giorgio Tasca (giorgio.tasca@newcastle.ac.uk) or Sam Fitzsimmons (sam.fitzsimmons@newcastle.ac.uk) 

For further information please see https://jwmdrc.org 

Key Accountabilities

• Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, they should contribute with new ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial ‘added value’
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
• Develop and carry out the specified project (analysis of transcriptomic, proteomic and genomic datasets) using appropriate bioinformatic techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of their 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 their own research objectives and proposals for funding
• Involvement in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
• Start to develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
• Write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
• May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• 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
• Support a range of research activities across the JWMDRC, besides the specified project
• Provide guidance on ongoing and future research, particularly experimental design, omics data analysis and interpretation
• Keep up to date with new developments in the bioinformatics field and apply them to the diverse range of data generated within the JWMDRC lab
• Communicate methodologies and analyses to a wide audience, including clinical, laboratory and informatics researchers, as well as non-experts

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Hands-on experience in the analysis of large-scale omics data, including complex multistage pipeline development, reporting, and troubleshooting

• Experience with single cell/single nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics datasets
• Proficiency in programming (e.g., using Linux/Python and R), command-line applications, and programming standards such as version control
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to present to technical and non-technical audiences
• Detailed subject knowledge in bioinformatics
• Detailed subject knowledge in biology
• Understanding of the application of statistical methods to omics studies
• Experience with the research environment (design and delivery of research projects)
• Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 
• Ability to prepare and maintain detailed documentation of their work

Desirable

• Experience with epigenetic, proteomic and genomic datasets
• Experience in integrative omics methodologies
• Experience accessing and utilising external, publicly available datasets (e.g., Genomics England, UKBioBank, EBI)
• Familiarity with containerisation (e.g., Docker) of informatic pipelines/workflows
• Understanding and/or experience with other complex datasets, including integration of health records or phenotypic data
• Experience in working in a multidisciplinary team (e.g., a team involving clinicians, scientists, etc.) and/or in wider collaborative groups
• Subject knowledge in muscle biology and pathophysiology of muscle diseases 
• Experience in working with human tissue samples

Attributes and Behaviour

• Enthusiastic, hardworking and able to take initiative
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills
• Capability to develop new skills
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
• Good time management and ability to prioritise to meet deadlines

Qualifications

• A PhD in bioinformatics, biology or related field, and experience in the research area required (Research Associate Level)
• Good honours degree (or equivalent) (or equivalent) or close to submission of PhD (Research Assistant Level)

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: 27054