Research Technician/Senior Research Technician

The SWC offers staff an award-winning work environment in the heart of Fitzrovia with access to pleasant outdoor spaces. The Centre also offers the full range of UCL staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement, occupational pension schemes, excellent family-friendly policies such as occupational shared parental pay, a work-life balance policy, and a range of financial benefits such as a season ticket loan scheme and staff discounts. SWC prides itself on offering a high quality administrative, technical and operational support function, and fully supports the professional development and progression of its staff, actively encouraging colleagues to learn new skills and broaden their experience. The SWC is supported in this aim by UCL's Organisational Development team who run a wide range of training programmes for all staff types and grades.

You will hold an undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, in Biological or Biomedical Science, or have equivalent relevant experience.

Excellent organisational and communication skills, strong technical ability, and the capacity to work independently and proactively while supporting a collaborative and multidisciplinary research environment are essential.

You will have previous experience working in a research laboratory, together with experience in the handling, health monitoring and care of rodents.

For appointment at Grade 7, experience of teaching or supervising students in laboratory techniques is required. Experience with optogenetics, electrophysiology and/or stereotaxic surgery would be advantageous.

We are looking for a motivated and organised Research Technician to contribute to the research programme of the Behrens Lab at SWC, supporting and directly contributing to projects investigating the neural mechanisms underlying flexible behaviour and decision-making.

The role combines hands-on experimental research with responsibility for supporting the day-to-day operation of experiments across the group. You will work closely with the postdoctoral researchers and students to support multiple projects, oversee shared experimental setups and resources, and ensure experiments are conducted efficiently and to a high technical and scientific standard.

At Grade 7, the role carries additional responsibility for histological processing, aseptic stereotaxic surgery, building and troubleshooting behavioural and electrophysiological setups, and overseeing shared experimental spaces. You will also support and train students and researchers in laboratory techniques, animal procedures and good laboratory practice.

The role is particularly suited to candidates seeking to develop a career as a technical specialist within research operations and laboratory support.

The role is funded until 30th September 2029 in the first instance.