Research Fellow in London

This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

Appointment as Research Fellow is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant (salary £40,603 - £43,749 per annum) with appointment as Research Fellow being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

The Institute prides itself on operating in an all-inclusive environment irrespective of personal, physical, or social characteristics. Teamwork is highly valued, individual strengths are recognised and celebrated, and we are committed to advancing the careers of everyone. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives; visit our EDI website for more information about our initiatives and priorities. The Institute also holds an Athena SWAN Gold award, in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join the PARK-SEED study at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. This ambitious project aims to develop and apply alpha-synuclein and tau seed amplification assays (SAAs) to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), support clinical trials and identify novel disease-modifying targets.

You will lead the development and implementation of tau SAAs, including tau substrate purification, and apply these assays to clinical and post-mortem patient samples. You will analyse data, contribute to publications, supervise early career researchers and have opportunities to develop your own research projects.

Working with clinicians and researchers across UCL, the UK Dementia Research Institute and international collaborations, you will develop expertise in SAA techniques, genetic analysis and clinical research, with opportunities to publish and present your findings at national and international conferences.

The role is available immediately and funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) for three years in the first instance.

If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team (ion.hradmin@ucl.ac.uk).

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Dr Edwin Jabbari (e.jabbari@ucl.ac.uk).

A full job description and person specification for this role can be accessed below. To apply, please upload a current CV, complete the online application form, and use the supporting statement section or upload a cover letter to outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please do not upload any additional attachments as these will not be considered by the selection panel.

The post would be particularly suited to someone with a background in biochemistry, protein chemistry, molecular biology or a related discipline, and a PhD in a relevant subject area. Experience in the development and use of tau seed amplification assays (tau SAA), including tau substrate expression and purification, would be desirable.

You will be comfortable working on your own initiative and taking a self-directed approach, with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team while maintaining independent thinking. A proactive approach to problem-solving and troubleshooting will be essential as this ambitious project progresses.