Research Assistant

Location: Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ With occasional work at our Centre for Human Genetics, Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN

Salary: Research Grade 6: £34,982 - £40,855 per annum. This is inclusive of a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,500 per year.

We are seeking to appoint a new Research Assistant at the Jenner Institute, joining the pre-clinical malaria group. 

This role will primarily involve running of the Jenner Insectary, rearing mosquitoes and producing malaria infected mosquitoes for researchers within the Jenner Institute and external costumers alongside with assisting in the research pertaining to the Malaria Vaccine Programme, but may offer support to other programmes within the group at the Jenner Institute as required. Reporting to the Principal Investigator/Programme Director, you will be a member of a research group with responsibility for the provision of research support for a research project funded by the Gates Foundation and the Insectary SRF aiming for generating an improved second-generation Malaria vaccine. You will provide advice and guidance to research students where appropriate.

You will provide support in the insectary work, and the related in vivo experiment and research work including research design, methodological development, and the analysis and reporting of experimental data. You will primarily support the insectary at the Jenner Institute aiming for the assessment of new target antigens as vaccine candidates for the Malaria Vaccine Programme using some of the most advanced technologies in some of the following areas: immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics, bioinformatics, genomics and other important areas related to vaccine development.

The promising vaccine candidates will be expressed using the most suitable vaccine platforms such as viral vector vaccines, recombinant proteins, virus-like particles (VLP), or mRNA. You will assist with the assessment of vaccine candidates for their safety and immunogenicity preclinically in vitro.

You will be highly motivated, preferably with previous experience with Malaria, Immunology, and/ or Vaccinology. Experience in protein expression and purification, parasitology and pathogen studies would be an advantage but is not essential. 

It is essential that you:

• Hold a degree in a relevant biological subject (e.g. Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology or related field).
• Have experience in a relevant biological subject (e.g. Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology or related field).
• Have experience working with in vivo, with the ability to perform a variety of administration techniques e.g. intramuscular, intravenous, and intra-peritoneal.
• Have a strong interest in Malaria, Immunology, Vaccinology, and Infectious Diseases.
• Possess sufficient specialist knowledge and experience in the discipline to work within established research programs.
• Have good interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team are essential in order to make a strong contribution to the project.

Applications for this vacancy should be made online and you will need to upload a supporting statement and CV. Your supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. Please restrict your documentation to your CV and supporting statement only. Any other documents will be requested at a later date.  

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract until 31 December 2026 and is funded by Jenner's Insectary SRF, and the Gates Foundation.

Only applications received before 12 midday on 30 July 2025 will be considered. Please quote 180213 on all correspondence.

Advert information