Research Assistant/Associate Investigating Patellofemoral Implant Design

Campus: South Kensington, London

Closing date: 4^th January 2023

Job Summary

Applications are invited for a researcher with an orthopaedic engineering background who has a keen interest in translational research, to join the Biomechanics Group (website, twitter) and MSk Lab (website, twitter) at Imperial College London. We have been awarded funding to research and develop a type of partial knee arthroplasty called patellofemoral arthroplasty.

For three-quarters of people with knee osteoarthritis, their disease affects only part of their knee joint, yet 90% with end-stage disease are treated with total knee replacement, thus sacrificing healthy ligaments, cartilage and bone. We have a vision for more patients to benefit from compartmental knee arthroplasty, but there is a need for improved solutions for patients with severe patellofemoral disease.

You will leverage our recent advances (e.g. 1,2) to research and develop implants that meet this need. There is a strong focus within our team to translate the advances made. Your role will be based across both the South Kensington and White City campuses at Imperial College London, a world top-ten university based in the centre of London. You will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including our Medical Device Prototype & Manufacture Unit and human tissue research facility for simulating surgery.

Duties and Responsibilities

You will:

• Analyse CT scans to understand the morphology of patellofemoral disease.
• Design and manufacture novel patellofemoral implants.
• Test the implants in cadaveric human knees to analyse how design influences knee function.
• Explore routes for translation, aligning with our ambition to work towards clinical trial.

Skills, knowledge and experience

You will have:

• A PhD in mechanical/biomedical engineering or a closely related discipline (for Research Associate level), or prior research/industrial experience (for Research Assistant level).
• Practical experience in design for manufacture (polymers and metals).
• Practical experience in lab-based research.
• Experience segmenting medical images.
• Knowledge of the fields of arthroplasty and biomechanics (knee is desirable).

Further information:

This is a translational research post. The successful applicant will be appointed as a Research Associate for a fixed term position of up to 12 months in the first instance.

Queries relating to the position should be directed to Dr Richard van Arkel (r.vanarkel@imperial.ac.uk).  

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 - £41,388 per annum.

Our preferred method of application is via our website. Please visit our website using the provided link for more information about the post and the application process.

To apply, please click “APPLY NOW” to go through to the online application form. Should you have any queries regarding the application process please contact ME-HR.Requests@imperial.ac.uk.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

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