Salary:

Research Assistant: £32,296 to £33,882 per annum

Research Associate: £34,866 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellentbenefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 03 March 2025

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for aResearch Assistant/Associateto join an Advanced Research + Invention Agency-funded project (subject to contract negotiations). The project aims to develop a Precision Control of Cortical Circuit Function.

The project is led by Newcastle University in collaboration with Imperial College London and Oxford University.

In this role, you will be embedded within the Biosciences Institute hosting one of the UK’s largest groupings of neuroscientists, spanning the full range of approaches from molecular genetics to behaviour with a particular strength in system neuroscience. The Biosciences Institute is home to the largest community of non-human primate (NHP) researchers in the UK, benefiting from outstanding animal facilities and veterinary support.

What will I be doing?

Emerging high-density electrode array technologies provide untapped opportunities for precision read/write interfacing with cortical circuits for therapeutic applications. While the number of channels available in electrode arrays has recently dramatically increased driven by the inherent scalability of microfabrication and semiconductor technologies (e.g. Neuropixels with 384 channels and SiNAPS with 1024 channels per shank), the principles by which we use these arrays to interface with the brain have not kept pace.
You will use electrophysiological methods, including large-scale Neuropixel/SiNAPS recordings and causal manipulations using electrical and optogenetic interference techniques, to selectively target with spatial precision and cell-type specificity the behaviourally-relevant subpopulations within cortical circuits in nonhuman primates (NHPs) for closed-loop control of network dynamics and brain state. You will assist with animal training and sterile implant surgeries, and then perform daily electrophysiological recordings of neural and muscle activity during trained behavioural task performance. Further key tasks include; data analysis, producing drafts of publications as well as giving presentations on the findings at international conferences.

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role

This post is fixed term for a period of 3 years (from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028).

For informal enquiries contact: and

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here:https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/

Find out more about our Research Institutes here:https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels ofresearch role profiles.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities

•    Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value' 
•    Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements 
•    Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
•    Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding 
•    Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
•    Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
•    Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
•    Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
•    May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants 
•    Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
•    May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
•    Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

•    Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
•    Detailed subject knowledge such as neuroscience, signal processing, statistics and computer programming
•    Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects 
•    High level of analytical and problem-solving capability 
•    Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others 
•    Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
•    Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 
•    An excellent record of academic achievement
•    Willing to work with non-human primates in neuroscience research.
•    Strong commitment to Reduction, Replacement and Refinement (3Rs) and animal welfare
•    Ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
•    The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues.
•    The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems.
Desirable

•    Strong analytical skills, including ability to program analysis scripts in the Matlab environment
•    Experience of in-vivo electrophysiological recordings
•    Experience with aseptic surgical techniques
•    Experience of working under Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 

Attributes and Behaviour

•    Collegiate
•    Open-minded
•    Conscientious and meticulous to detail

Qualifications

•    A PhD (or close to finishing a PhD) ideally in Neuroscience. Those nearing completion of a PhD will be offered the role as Research Assistant and those with a PhD will be offered the role as Research Associate


 

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silverAthena Swanaward in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold aRace Equality CharterBronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are aDisability Confidentemployer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 27872