Chief Research Laboratory Technician (Fixed Term)

We are looking for a Chief Research Laboratory Technician to join the CLiC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on impulsive and compulsive disorders) directed by Professor David Belin at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. The CLiC, investigates the neural, cellular and molecular substrates of individual vulnerability to develop impulsive/compulsive disorders such as drug addiction or Obsessive / Compulsive Disorder. Our working hypothesis is that impulses originating from the amygdalo-insular networks can drive behaviour through explicit knowledge involving prefrontal and orbitofrontal loops, or through implicit mechanisms that instead depend on the functional relationships of these structures with several domains of the striatum.

This role holder will support our research programme on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying vulnerability to addiction and compulsive disorders. The successful candidate will play a central role in implementing and managing rodent intravenous self-administration (IVSA) and compulsive alcohol drinking experiments to understand the neural and behavioural mechanisms underlying the individual vulnerability to develop compulsive drug seeking and/or taking in the rat.

The successful candidates will be responsible for the preparation, execution, and monitoring of behavioural experiments involving intravenous and oral drug self-administration paradigms in rats. Core responsibilities will include animal handling and husbandry, intravenous and intracranial surgeries, peri-operative support and post-operative care following catheter implantation procedures, catheter maintenance and patency monitoring, behavioural training and testing, and the collection, organisation, and quality control of experimental data.

This position offers an opportunity to acquire advanced expertise in behavioural neuroscience methodologies and to contribute to research aimed at understanding the neural basis of addiction and compulsive disorders.

You will have BA in a relevant neuroscience subject and/or Masters in a relevant neuroscience subject. The role holder will have experience working in a laboratory with biological scientific research. The role holder will have strong organisational and communication skills, along with good attention to detail. Previous experience with rodent behavioural neuroscience, animal handling, or intravenous self-administration techniques is desirable but not essential, depending on the level of experience.

For more information about the responsibilities and requirements for this role, please see the further particulars.

Informal enquiries about the position can be made to Professor David Belin, bdb26@cam.ac.uk.

Fixed Term: starting Sept 1st 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Apply:

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click 'Apply' above.

On the online form, in the suitability for the role section, you should explain the reasons for your application and how your knowledge, skills and experience match the requirements of the role. The full contact details for two professional referees should be provided; one of whom should be your current line manager. Please note that we will assume that you are happy for us to approach your referees at any stage, unless you indicate otherwise in the space provided on the form.

The closing date for applications is June 30th 2026.

Please quote reference PM49792 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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