Research Assistant - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Research Assistant - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us

The role will be based in the joint Blencowe/Ule satellite lab within Francis Crick Institute, Europe’s largest biomedical research institute, where world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. A dynamic environment fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture.

The satellite lab consists of 6 researchers including PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. For more information, please see the laboratory website

About the role

Through affiliation with Blencowe and Ule labs, the post-holder will also be affiliated with two Centres at King’s College London: the Centre of Neurodevelopmental Diseases and UK Dementia Research Institute Centre

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Dr. Alyssa Miller and Professor Benjamin Blencowe are seeking a Research Assistant to join a team of researchers working on the roles of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP) and their defects in neurodevelopment and brain disorders.

The post holder will focus on biochemistry and molecular biology techniques, in particular recombinant protein production and purification, maintenance and characterisation of human cell lines, preparation of cell extracts, RNA extraction and general biochemistry such as western blots, thus contributing to relevant publications in collaboration with other team members.

This is a full time (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 03/01/2028.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

About you

Essential criteria

1. MSc in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, Cell Biology or a related discipline
2. Experience in molecular and cellular biology
3. Experience in experimental design and bench work
4. IT proficiency (Spreadsheet, Word Processing, Database, Email, Web based applications)
5. Excellent oral and written communication skills
6. Strong problem-solving abilities
7. Excellent organizational skills, meticulous and accurate in all aspects of work
8. Excellent inter-personal skills with an ability to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting

Desirable criteria

1. Experience with working with intrinsically disordered proteins in vitro or in vivo
2. Experience in studies of ribonucleoprotein complexes and RNA regulation
3. Experience in immunostaining
4. Experience with differentiating iPS cells into neurons
5. Interested in research and a commitment to supporting high quality research

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.