Research Assistant/Associate

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Salary
Research Assistant - £34,630 - £36,320 per annum.
Research Associate - £37,369 - £39,560 per annum.

The Role
Join the Newcastle CRUK Drug Discovery Group, a large multidisciplinary team which is part of Cancer Research Horizons Therapeutic Innovation, the Newcastle Cancer Centre and the Translational and Clinical Research Institute. The Group uses structural, chemical and cell biological approaches to discover and validate novel therapeutic targets in cancer in collaboration with industrial partners.

The position is for a new 18-month project funded by CRUK and aligned with the group’s translational program. It will focus on the validation of emerging drug targets in squamous cancers. Working with academic and drug discovery experts, including external collaborators, the post holder will generate biological evidence to support the development of a novel therapeutic strategy.

You will be responsible for designing, developing and deploying genetic and pharmacological strategies to investigate target function and therapeutic potential; including tool compounds, RNAi, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, and inducible degron systems in human tumour cell models. Research activities include analysis of molecular and cellular responses, identification of pharmacodynamic biomarkers, and evaluation of target dependency using a range of mechanistic and phenotypic assays.

In addition to conducting high-quality research with defined milestones, the post holder will contribute directly to activities that inform drug discovery decision-making, providing an opportunity to gain experience of the translational pathway from target identification through to therapeutic development.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in cancer cell signalling and experience of modern genetic manipulation techniques, together with an interest in applying these approaches within a multidisciplinary drug discovery environment.

Informal approaches can be made to Dr Ute Jungwirth (ute.jungwirth@ncl.ac.uk).

For your application, please provide a CV and cover letter highlighting the relevant experience you would bring to the post (no longer than 2 pages).

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medicalsciences/.

Find out more about the Newcastle CRUK Drug Discovery here: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/drugdiscovery.

Duration of post is until 30/04/2028 with the opportunity to be extended (Starting date: January 2027).

What happens next: Applications will be assessed by a panel, and in-person interviews will be held in the week commencing the first week in December.

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As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf. These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Newcastle University is committed to the responsible use of research metrics as part of our research culture and research strategy. We advocate for the transparent, appropriate, and inclusive use of metrics, guided by expert judgment, to support high-quality, impactful research that is open, collaborative and sustainable. Click here for our full policy statement on the Responsible use of Research Metrics. Click here for a self-study e-learning module on the Responsible Use of Research Metrics.

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