Research Assistant

About us

The Department of Neurodegenerative Disease is recognised as internationally leading in the study of neurodegenerative diseases causing dementia and related disorders.

Based in the department and led by Professor Sarah Tabrizi (Director), Professor Gillian Bates (Co-Director) and Professor Ed Wild (Associate Director), the UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre is uniquely placed world-wide to translate mechanistic insights to ‘first in human’ studies. It combines sophisticated cell-based systems with rigorously standardised preclinical target validation to prime mechanistically-driven drug development initiatives. The Centre integrates clinical and laboratory work with small proof-of-concept first in human studies in patients in the Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre (LWENC) prior to initiating larger phase 2 and 3 clinical trials including novel huntingtin-lowering trials.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant to support ongoing commercial and academic clinical trials in Huntington’s disease (HD), and to contribute to the delivery of several innovative research projects. The role is primarily patient-facing, with a focus on participant recruitment, scheduling, and conducting assessments.

A key part of the role will involve work on Enroll-HD, a global HD registry study. You will support recruitment efforts and carry out study assessments both during and outside of NHNN HD clinics. You will also be responsible for planning study visits, liaising with participants, and coordinating with clinical and research teams at the LWENC, UCL, and NHNN, in addition to processing study data.

You will also support commercial trials by assisting with participant recruitment both in and outside of clinic settings, coordinating study visits, preparing patient files, and conducting cognitive and neuropsychiatric assessments.

An honorary contract or Research Passport will be sought from UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, for which a DBS check will be required.

The post is available from 11 August 2025 and is funded by a research grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network until 28 March 2026 in the first instance.

For a full job description and to apply for this role please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs) and search using vacancy reference B02-08798.

About you

You will hold an Honours degree (minimum 2:1) in Biological Sciences, Psychology, Nursing, or a related discipline, and have a strong understanding of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), relevant regulatory frameworks, and research governance. Experience of working in neurodegenerative disease research is essential, as is a good understanding of Huntington’s disease.

What we offer

Starting salary offered in the range £38,607 - £41,255 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on EDI initiatives; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/equality-diversity-inclusion for more information about what we’re doing. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.

Customer advert reference: B02-08798

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