Internal Applicants Only – Research Assistant

Job title:

Internal Applicants Only – Research Assistant

Company

Cardiff University

Job description

School / DirectorateSchool of MedicineAdvertThis post is currently open to employees of Cardiff University only. Please do not apply if you do not have a current contract of employment with the University.Internal Applicants Only – Research Assistant
Division of Infection and Immunity
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life SciencesA Research Assistant position is available in the group of Doctor Lucy Jones in the Division of Infection & Immunity at the School of Medicine, under the supervision of Doctor Brad Spiller. Research conducted by the team examines the role of dietary supplements to improve immune responses to vaccines and autophagy in patients over the age of 65. Current activities within the laboratory cover many aspects of immuno-aging and protection against invasive pathogens extending from T-cell and antibody responses to antimicrobial resistance hinderance to and alternative approaches for effective therapeutic treatment.The successful candidate will join a vibrant research environment and work alongside all members of the department of Medical Microbiology, which includes established investigators, post-doctoral fellows, PhD students, visiting scholars and undergraduate students.This project will operate between two sites Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales and the Botnar Institute, Oxford. The staff member will be required to move back and forth between sites to facilitate sample processing and analysis of tissue samples in the first year of this project, to include dual site working on an average working week. Discussions around these arrangements can take place after the successful candidate has been appointed.Candidates will hold an undergraduate degree (or have completed degree by start of post) in Biological or Biomedical Sciences with specific Immunology modules. Experienced in PBMC separation, performing flow cytometry & analysing multi-colour target data, creation & management of clinical databases using REDCap, multifactorial statistical analysis using SPSS or R studio, and be proficient in cell culture techniques. Essential requirements for candidates include current good clinical practice certification and Human Tissue Act compliance training.Further details about the group can be found atInformal enquires can be made to Dr Owen Spiller ( ) or Dr Lucy Jones ( )This post is full time (35 hours per week) fixed term from 15th August 2024 until 30th November 2025. Work pattern to include out of hours during days with sample collection.Salary: £32,332 – £34,980 per annum (Grade 5). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.Closing date: Tuesday, 25 June 2024External applications are currently not being considered for this post. If the decision is made to open the post to external candidates, the strapline at the top will be removed and you will be given ample time to apply – please check back periodically for details.Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:Post Reference Number18748BRJob DescriptionMain functionTo contribute to research within specialist area, carrying out supporting work that helps lead to the publishing of research in high-quality journals. To process clinical participant blood samples and manage clinical REDCap database, perform AURORA flow cytometry, viral neutralisation and ELISA array assays with bioinformatic interrogation of results relative to clinical metadata as part of a larger research team.Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Isolate peripheral blood cells and serum from clinical participants and manage associated REDCap clinical database (GCP certification required) in Cardiff.
• To undertake research, e.g. by planning, preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcome of experiments involving AURORA flow cytometry platforms, Cytokine array assays, ELISA and virus neutralisation assays at special facilities at University of Oxford.
• To use Studio R with command line entry to correlate wet lab results with clinical metadata contained in REDCap database.
• Actively participate and act as liaison between clinical Cardiff PI and experimental research team at NDORMS University of Oxford, communicating and presenting research at meetings, through publications and other recognised avenues as appropriate, ensuring information is communicated to internal and external partners.
• To contribute and support research publications, presentations and funding bids as required.
• To analyse and communicate complex ideas, concepts and data using appropriate methods and packages.
• To resolve issues and support colleagues in devising procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
• To generate research output and contribute to the development of independent and original ideas as appropriate.
• To provide support in research activities for undergraduate courses and research programmes and provide guidance to other members of staff within the research team.
• To maintain and update area of specialist knowledge, maintain good clinical practice certification, researching and critically appraising relevant literature within the area.

Other

• To participate in School administration and activities to promote the Cardiff University School of Medicine and its work to the wider University and the outside world.
• To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
• To ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties and abide by the University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Salary Range Max.34,980GradeGrade 5Salary Range Min.32,332Job CategoryAcademic – Research, Medical & DentalAdditional InformationIMPORTANT: Evidencing CriteriaIt is the School of Medicine’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.Please ensure when submitting this document / attaching it to your application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number, in this instance for this post, 18748BR
If candidates do not provide written evidence of meeting all of the essential criteria then their application will not be progressed. The School of Medicine welcome the submission of CVs to accompany evidence of the job-based criteria.As sample collection and processing will occur at baseline, 2 weeks, 14 weeks and 37 weeks on 80 clinical participants, but transported for analysis using specialist equipment and reagents at NDORMs University of Oxford, the applicant must have the capacity to shift between sites, potentially with little capacity to predict exact calendar dates due to the unpredictable nature of participant recruitment.Career PathwayResearchPerson SpecificationEssential CriteriaQualifications and Education
1. Hold an undergraduate degree (or have completed degree by start of post) in Biological or Biomedical Sciences with specific Immunology modules, or equivalent experience.Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Direct experience in working in a clinical academic environment, including proficiency in REDCap database management and data access. Experience in separation of peripheral blood cells, maintaining high viability of T-cells and experience in performing flow cytometry and subsequent analysis. Knowledge and full understanding of designing and carrying out ELISA analysis and cytokine array investigations.
3. Proven ability to analyse complex datasets, define underlying immunological cell signalling and immune responses to stimuli and statistically analyse associated metadata using R or SPSS.
4. Experience in supervising and managing clinical and/or academic staff in a research environment.
5. Knowledge and understanding of scientific peer-review process and drafting manuscripts for submission to scientific journals.Communication and Team Working
6. Proven communication skills, including presentation to various audiences
7. Excellent organisational and team-working skillsDesirable Criteria
1. Hold acceptable existing qualifications to enable and be willing to undertake a higher post-graduate degree (MPhil) as a member of staff PGR candidate.
2. Evidence of collaborations with industry.
3. Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.

Expected salary

£32332 – 34980 per year

Location

Oxford

Job date

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:22:19 GMT

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