Research Assistant - PatentsInHumans Project (12-Month Temporary Contract)

Overview of the PatentsInHumans project:

PatentsInHumans is a 5-year European Research Council Starting Grant funded project led by Principal Investigator, Professor Aisling McMahon, which commenced on 1st November 2022.

PatentsInHumans (www.patentsinhumans.eu) investigates the role of bioethics in the patenting and licensing of technologies related to the human body, including, for example, medicines & medical devices.

The Role

As part of this project, we are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant to conduct research related to the legal understandings within the project focusing primarily on Workpackages 1 and 2. Under the supervision of Professor McMahon, the successful candidate will conduct research to further develop and examine bioethical issues that may arise related to the patent grant/licensing of technologies related to the human body, and avenues to engage with these. The successful candidate will conduct research related to case studies in such contexts under the direction of the Principal Investigator, to deepen understandings within the project around how patent grantand licensing of such technologies can impact how we treat, use and modify the body.

The Research Assistant will also conduct research under the direction of the Principal Investigator to explore further how applicable human rights frameworks including, but not limited to, the European Convention on Human Rights, Fundamental Charter on Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Oviedo Convention could affect the types of inventions related to the human body that are patentable, and how such patents, are licensed/used.   The successful candidate will also support the Principal Investigator and project team in carrying out other research tasks related to the project, across Workpackages 1-3. The Research Assistant will join a dynamic, well-supported multidisciplinary team within the PatentsInHumans project which currently includes the Principal Investigator, a Post Doctoral Researcher and a Project Manager. They will be part of the research-intensive School of Law and Criminology and Assisting Living and Learning Institute (ALL) in Maynooth University. They will be supported in their personal career development plan throughout by Professor Aisling McMahon.

The ideal candidate will have:

Essential

• A degree in law or related discipline, having achieved a minimum 2.1 grade or above;
• In order to be appointed at the grade of Research Assistant level 2, candidates would need to hold a minimum qualification of a Masters degree or level 9 equivalent, or 3 years of post graduate training in a relevant discipline.
• Excellent legal research skills;
• Excellent English language writing and speaking skills;
• Ability to work with a great degree of autonomy, manage workloads, deadlines and responsibilities;
• Excellent attention to detail, flexibility, initiative and good problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and willingness to engage with complex material.

Desirable

• Master’s degree in law or related discipline;
• Knowledge of legal areas related to the project, such as health law, intellectual property law, human rights law, and/or EU law;
• Previous experience conducting research assistance work;
• Previous experience conducting interdisciplinary research and/or engaging with legal issues related to emerging scientific/health technologies;
• Previous experience of working as part of a team.

For further details including comprehensive job description please see reference number 030421 on the Maynooth University vacancies page at: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/human-resources/vacancies

Advert information