Research Associate

Applications are invited for the post of Postdoctoral Research Associate within a newly established research group in a vibrant and stimulating environment at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN). SITraN is a purpose-built research facility which was opened in November 2010 by Her Majesty the Queen, and was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary prize for higher education in 2019 in recognition of having made an outstanding positive impact in patient’s lives. The Institute houses clinical and fundamental scientists from the Department of Neuroscience and the primary focus is research into neurodegenerative disorders such as Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Research Associate to join an ambitious and multi-faceted project funded by the Medical Research Council as part of the UKRI Future Leaders fellowship. You will join a research team recently established in SITraN under the supervision of Dr Tatyana Shelkovnikova (project principal investigator, Senior Research Fellow). The overarching goal of this project is to provide novel insights into the regulation of disease-relevant RNA granules, identify and pursue novel targets for correction of disease phenotypes in ALS/FTD by chemical manipulation of RNA-protein complexes.

You will be a practically skilled, well-organised and highly motivated Research Associate with independent thinking and a strong scientific background in at least one of the following areas:
1. CRISPR editing in mammalian cell lines (with evidence of successful cell line establishment). Desirable skills: other approaches to cell line generation, including inducible cell lines; neuronal cell culture; stem cell experience.
2. Bioinformatics, with a focus on RNA-protein interactions and/or disease genetics.

Your role will be embedded in a young research group where genuine interest in science and the ability to conduct curiosity-driven research are essential. You will conduct laboratory research on a semi-independent basis under the direction of lab head and will involve coordination of research activities with other members of his lab, collaborators and project partners. You will be expected to: design, execute and interpret experiments; keep excellent experimental records; prepare figures and reports regularly and present data to the principal investigator/co-investigator and wider institute; coordinate your work with the collaborating teams. You are also expected to contribute to the preparation of scientific manuscripts, undertake everyday laboratory maintenance tasks, and supervise undergraduate students.

This post is fixed-term for 1 year initially, with a possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance. The post is available immediately.

We’re one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK. The University’s Total Reward Package includes a competitive salary, a generous Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement, as well as access to a range of learning and development courses to support your personal and professional development.

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

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