Research Associate @ Cardiff University


Job Description:
• To undertake day to day research activity within the overall research programme using methodologies, analysis and other appropriate techniques.

• To perform data analysis and contribute intellectually to the project through the critical interpretation of data.

• To produce work of publishable quality for appropriate high quality peer reviewed journals.

• To present papers at national and international meetings.

• To contribute to the development of collaborative research grant proposals.

• To co-ordinate, log and maintain accurate records of the research being undertaken.

• To initiate and maintain good communication with the many national and international collaborators.

• To co-ordinate with an international collaboration of scientists, including the use of shared data and organising meetings.

• To co-ordinate and supervise outsourced laboratory procedures.

• In tandem with core Centre laboratory staff, manage biological sample collections (including DNA and RNA), sample databases, storage.

• To provide administrative support to the laboratory (eg ordering, stock control, house-keeping duties etc).

• To suggest and contribute to the development of research techniques and methods in collaboration with colleagues.

• To assist in the supervision of undergraduate student projects and the development of student research and assessment.

• To support the supervision of post graduate research students where appropriate.

• To work collaboratively with other staff within and external to the research team.

• To evaluate methods and techniques used and the results obtained by other researchers and relate evaluations to the area of research as appropriate.

• To update continually knowledge and understanding in the field or specialism and translate knowledge of advances in the subject area into research activity.

• To ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in respect of equality and diversity, data protection, copyright and licensing, security, financial and other University policies, procedures and codes as appropriate.

• To assist in research ethics and governance applications related to the project.

• To take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, EC directives and the University's safety, Health and Environment Policies and procedures and to co-operate with the University on any legal duties placed on it as the employer.

• You may be asked to perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Person Specification Essential

1. Background in schizophrenia genetics research

2. Excellent organisational skills with a proven ability to prioritise and meet deadlines within the framework of an agreed programme including experience in conducting and organising research projects.

3. Good liaison skills with the ability to build internal contacts and participate in internal networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future collaboration.

4. Sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop further skills in and knowledge of research methods and techniques and the ability to use initiative and creativity to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.

5. Proven competency in planning and managing own research activity in collaboration with others, with the ability to work independently, proactively and with self-motivation.

6. Knowledge of psychiatric disorders especially schizophrenia and of current genetic approaches to identifying susceptibility loci.

7. A PhD in a relevant subject (or about to complete) and a first class or good second class degree in a related discipline.

8. You should be highly proficient in the analysis of NGS data, and have sufficient bioinformatics skills to annotate en masse the outputs using a range of bioinformatic approaches.

9. Excellent IT skills and ability to work with large datasets and good statistical knowledge and the ability to use established analytical packages such as PLINK.

10. A demonstrable history of contributing to publications involving rare high penetrance variants in psychiatric genetics.

Additional Information
IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria

It is School of Medicine's policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.

Please ensure when submitting this document / attaching it to your application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number, in this instance for this post, 1244BR.

If candidates do not provide written evidence of meeting all of the essential criteria then their application will not be progressed. The School of Medicine welcome the submission of CVs to accompany evidence of the job-based criteria.

Additional Information

The project is embedded in the research environment of MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics. The work will be based in Cardiff University's new flagship Hadyn Ellis building. The post holder will join an established and highly successful group led by Prof Mike Owen and Mick O'Donovan.

Salary Range Min. 30,424 Salary Range Max. 36,298