Total 3 Junior Executive level Science / R&D / Research job vacancies in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant to join the Institute of Metabolic Science ¿ Metabolic Research Laboratories within the Clinical School at the University of Cambridge.

This role has the specific purpose of increasing the pool of researcher and technologist talent and widening access to a research-rich environment. The post is an 18-month placement and will be structured to support the development and training of highly motivated individuals from undergraduate degrees that offered limited laboratory experience and/or who have been otherwise disadvantaged . Post-holders will obtain bespoke training opportunities within research groups and core facilities. Support will be provided for individuals interested in pursuing a higher degree at the end of the position. Those interested in pursuing technical roles in academia or industry will be offered relevant training and support, including via IMS-MRL networks.

Applicants must have a BSc or equivalent degree in Biology and/or Biochemistry or a related discipline. They should be highly motivated to work in a research environment, have excellent organisational and record keeping skills and be able to reliably deliver outcomes to agreed deadlines. They should have the ability to work independently when required but also able to work well within a team environment, using good communication skills.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 18 months in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check, a health assessment and a security check.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Closing date: 20th September 2024

Date of interview: To be confirmed

Please quote reference RG43080 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

THE ROLE

As Administrative Assistant you will play a vital role in supporting the SCAR community, a vibrant international network of people engaged in or supporting Antarctic research. Your work will be varied, with tasks ranging from general office support and responding to day-to-day queries, to the planning of international meetings and interacting with people within and beyond the Antarctic research community. The successful candidate will be a highly organised individual who works well as part of a small team and is educated to degree level or with equivalent work experience, with a passion to support vital work in an important area of environmental research. There is some scope to adapt the role to the skills and experience of the successful candidate. The role will provide the jobholder with a range of learning and professional development opportunities. There may be some opportunities for international travel.



KEY CRITERIA

-- Essential --

Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, ability to engage diverse stakeholder groups.

Excellent IT/technical skills and a high level of proficiency with Microsoft Office software and video-conferencing such as Zoom.

Highly organised; able to multitask efficiently, and meet tight deadlines whilst maintaining attention to detail.

Experience of working effectively within a team to achieve challenging objectives.

Experience of supporting and organising meetings.

A good first degree or equivalent work experience.



-- Desirable --

Experience of providing office support to a small team.

Experience with website content management.

Track record of learning and implementing new IT systems and interfaces.

Minute taking, editing and proofreading skills for meetings, document production and online text.

Experience of using task management tools (e.g. Asana).

Experience of ensuring GDPR compliance within an organisation.

Experience of working within a complex and dynamic organisation.

Experience of interacting with academia, particularly within polar or environmental research.

Experience of working in/with the charitable sector.


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The successful candidate is expected to take up the post as soon as possible after the interview.

You must already have a valid visa to work in the UK to apply for this position.

More information regarding this position can be found on our website: scar.org

We are seeking a research assistant to work within the Group of Dr Clémence Blouet at the Institute of Metabolic Science, within a programme aimed at understanding the mechanisms through which brain nutrient sensing contributes to appetite, metabolism and body weight regulation.

This position offers an ideal opportunity for motivated scientists wishing to develop their research skills in neurobiology within a world-class research environment.

In this role, you will undertake laboratory-based work and support research on mouse models. Applicants need to have the ability to use standard histological techniques, use confocal microscopy and perform image analysis. Applicants also need to have the ability to work with mouse models.

You will be expected to:

Routinely prepare samples for histological analysis
Image histology samples and perform image analysis
Develop and validate new histological, imaging and quantification protocols
Use an electronic lab book to record your lab log,
Ensure the research is carried out in accordance with good practice and in compliance with local polices and legal requirements
Contribute to laboratory-wide discussions on developments within the field
Assist in training students and other members of the laboratory.
Contribute to basic mouse assessments and colony management
Overview general laboratory management (ordering, instrument calibration, sample/reagent inventories, etc..)
To be considered for this position, you must:

Possess a BSc degree or equivalent in neuroscience, biochemistry, physiology, or a related field
Have skills in working independently to solve experimental problems.
Be self-motivated, creative, and curious
Possess excellent record-keeping, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
Hold a personal license from the home office
You should have experience with:

Basic molecular biology techniques
Basic mouse husbandry techniques
Basic mouse dosing procedures
Histology and imaging
Applicants should also be eligible for a Home Office Personal License

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 9 January 2026 in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check, a health assessment and a security check.

We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Closing date: 1st August 2024

Date of interview: First Week in September