Job Description

Job id: 070766. Salary: Grade 5: \xc2\xa332,676 - \xc2\xa337,297 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 06 July 2023. Closing date: 10 July 2023.

Business unit: IoPPN. Department: Developmental Neurobiology.

Contact details: Prof. Beatriz Rico. Beatriz.rico@kcl.ac.uk

Location: Guy\'s Campus. Category: Research.

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

Job description

This position as Research assistant in the laboratory of Professor Beatriz Rico is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and will investigate how early life experience influences brain development.

The Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders are world-leading centres in developmental neuroscience and brain disorders, situated in central London.

The main duty of the post holder will be to provide logistics, organisational and technical support for the team. We are seeking someone motivated and committed to science, who can work under their own initiative, independent if need it, adaptable, efficient and with a keen interest in the projects we develop in our lab. Candidates should have a degree in biological sciences or similar. Previous experience of at least 3 years in a research lab is essential. Experience in histology, cell biology, molecular biology and mouse behaviour is essential, while experience with confocal microscopy, image software analysis (e.g. Image J), stereotaxic injections, and mouse models would be desirable. Management and communication skills will also be positively evaluated. The candidate will benefit from training in a vibrant and collaborative research environment.

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 12 months

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• Provide flexible logistical, technical and organisational support to other group members in the laboratory

• Liaise with the Resource Manager for the department, to co-ordinate risk assessments, laser safety and to resolve any problems in the building that may affect the group.

• Write and collate risk assessments for all work in progress and planning for the Rico group. Ensure all staff in the group read and understand both risk assessments and Codes of Practice.

• Liaise with the Biological Safety Office for the department to ensure project licences are obtained and adhered to for work requiring genetic modification

• Provide advice and training in the use of laboratory equipment and basic techniques to visitors, students and staff within the group.

• Advise the group on the availability and safe usage of equipment, techniques and facilities. Ensure continuity of background supplies.

• Take responsibility for ensuring that the Rico laboratory area is maintained in a clean and safe condition and to be responsible for the daily, weekly and monthly cleaning rota for the laboratory and all equipment, and the weekly monitoring of the laboratory environment. Organise and monitor systems and rotas for the safe disposal of laboratory waste.

• Assist with the preparation of orders and other general laboratory administrative tasks.

• Liaise with the Business Manager of the department to discuss research grant expenditure and monitoring of grant budgets.

• Assist with the preparation of stocks and reagents for the general maintenance of the laboratory.

• Employ a broad range of histology, cell biology and molecular biology techniques.

• To learn any new techniques as needed for research projects and then be responsible for the training of others in these techniques.

• Keep comprehensive and up-to-date laboratory notes.

• Provide detailed records of data generated and associated analysis. Ensure compliance with Home Office and other regulatory requirements for record keeping. Establish a lab management system that ensures that important biological resources and data are correctly archived.

• Seek appropriate training relevant to the performance of the tasks required and take advantage of opportunities for continuing professional development as these arise.

• Liaise with the Biological Service Unit (BSU), the Rico laboratory and Professor Rico to coordinate, supervise the mouse colonies.

• Breeding and management of several transgenic / mutant mouse lines

• Train mice for behaviour

• Carry out precise AAV injections in different cortical regions for gain and loss of function experiments.

• Carry out perfusions and obtain frozen tissue sections of mouse brain for staining and imaging

• Carry out immunohistochemistry to localise different synaptic markers in tissue sections, confocal scanning of preparations.

• Imaris/Image J analysis of synaptic markers

• In situ hybridisation, including preparation of probes to localise gene expression

• Design and molecular cloning of different constructs for loss and gain of function experiments

• FACS sorting of cortical neurons for transcriptomic analysis

• Manage the progress and set goals for achievement of project aims in collaboration with team leaders including the execution of literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and report

• Continue to update knowledge and develop skills

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Degree in biological science or similar

2. Relevant and broad work experience in a research laboratory for at least 3 years.

3. Knowledge of histology,

4. Knowledge of cell biology.

5. Knowledge in molecular biology

6. Experience in mouse behavior

7. Experience troubleshooting laboratory problems

8. Practical and organizational skills

9. Experience of working collaboratively

10. Experience of managing multiple tasks concurrently

11. Computer literate, able to use MS word and excel, and to learn how to use other programs

Desirable criteria

1. Experience with confocal microscopy

2. Rodent/transgenic husbandry

3. Experience with mouse models

4. Experience stereotaxic injections

King\'s College London