Imperial College London
Job Description
Job Title: Research Assistant / Associate
Section/Division: Infectious Diseases
Department: Medicine
Job Family/Level: Academic and Research, A or B
Salary Range: £26,860 - £39,130 per annum (depending on level of the appointment)
Responsible to: Head of Section
Works closely with: Department of Social Medicine, Bristol and HPA
Location: St Mary’s campus, Paddington, London
Duration: Fixed-term for 18 months
Background to post:
We have been involved for some years in the development of immunological assays to monitor active and latent Chlamydia trachomatis infection in vivo. The post-holder will be expected to support the study by growing the organism in the laboratory, learning and developing the assays further and exploiting them to address questions of clinical significance.
Summary of post:
The post-holder is required to carry out a study on the serological responses to Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The candidate will be based in modern and well-equipped laboratories on the 4th Floor Jefferiss Research Laboratories in the Infectious Diseases Unit of Imperial College at St Mary’s Hospital campus. Further opportunities for training in molecular and cellular biology, immunology, and serology will be available.
Major Activities
· Cell culture
· ELISAs
· ELISPOT assays
· PCR
· Collation and analysis of data
· Sample collection from clinics
· Sequence analysis
Research Duties - For Both Levels
· To take initiatives in the planning of research
· To identify and develop suitable techniques, and apparatus, for the collection and analysis of data
· To ensure the validity and reliability of data at all times
· To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings
· To assist with the writing of reports for submission to research sponsors
· To present findings to colleagues and at conferences
· To assist in the submission publications to refereed journals
· To provide guidance to students
· To attend relevant workshops and conferences, as necessary
· To develop contacts and research collaborations within the College and the wider community
· To promote the reputation of the Group, the Department and the College
For a Research Associate appointment, the post-holder would need to take undertake the above duties, take a lead in writing reports and submitting publications, in addition to the responsibilities outlined below
· To provide guidance to PhD, MSc and BSc Students
· Contribute to bids for research grants
· To conduct and plan own scientific work with appropriate supervision
· To maintain highly organised and accurate record of experimental work
· To participate in the research programme of the Group and Unit
· To publish in high quality journals and to present data at national and international meetings
· To participate in Group/Unit research meetings and internal seminars
· To be willing to work out of normal working hours (including weekends) if the requirements of the project demand
· To collaborate with other allied scientists within Imperial College and elsewhere in London and abroad, as appropriate
· To contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s/Unit’s laboratories and, facilities with other scientists, clinicians, technicians and students within the laboratories
· To assist in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and research assistants as required
· To comply with the College, Division, and Unit safety practices and to attend courses on safety when appropriate
· Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by Head of group as well as Head of Division/Department/Section
Other Duties - For Both Levels
· Routine laboratory duties including maintenance of cryopreserved materials, cleaning and fumigation of laboratories and other general laboratory duties
· To undertake appropriate administration tasks
· To attend relevant meetings
· To comply with relevant College policies, including Financial Regulations, Equal Opportunities Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy, Health and Safety Policy, Information Systems Security Policy, Intellectual Property Rights and Register of Interests Policies
· To undertake any necessary training and/or development
· Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by line manager / supervisor
Work will be carried out in the ACDP Containment Level 2 Laboratories within the Section. Full training will be given.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and so the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
The post holder is expected to observe and comply with all College policies and regulations, for example Health and Safety, Data Protection etc.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in our Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy and Disability Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
· Applicants at Research Assistant level must have a first degree in Microbiology or a closely related subject
· Applicants at Research Associate level must have a PhD a relevant subject
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
· Applicants at both levels should have previous experience in working in a research and development laboratory and practical experience within a research environment and / or publication in relevant and refereed journals
· For Research Associate level you should also have knowledge of Chlamydia and practical experience in a broad range of cell/virus culture and molecular techniques (PCR, cloning etc). For Research Assistant level, knowledge and experience of Chlamydia and these techniques would be a distinct advantage
Skills and Abilities
Essential
· Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature
· Ability to develop and apply new concepts
· Creative approach to problem-solving
· Good verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people
· Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication
· Ability to direct the work of a small research team and motivate others to produce a high standard of work
· Ability to organise own work
· Ability to prioritise own work in response to deadlines
· Computer skills, including word-processing, spreadsheets and the Internet
Personal Attributes
· Willingness to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and cooperative
· Flexible attitude towards work
· Discipline and regard for confidentiality and security at all times
· Willingness to undertake any necessary training for the role
· Willingness to travel both within the United Kingdom and abroad to conduct research and attend conferences
Application Guidance
Please read the person specification carefully and describe, as part of your application, how much you feel you meet each of the criteria. If you need more space, please attach additional sheets to the application form.
The recruitment monitoring section of your application will be detached and will be used only for monitoring and audit purposes as a basis for supporting our commitment to Equal Opportunities.
An application form and full CV quoting reference number HM2011025R should be sent, by the closing date of 29 March 2011, online via the Imperial College iRecruitment website.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible after the closing date.
Thank you for your interest in this post. We look forward to receiving your application.