We have an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow contributing to work on immune cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
The role
We are seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on a project funded by The Chief Scientists Office (Scotland) focused on developing adoptive T cell therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The project aims to establish the translational protocols to move exciting pre-clinical work toward the clinic, this includes optimising therapeutic cell populations, establishing good-manufacturing practice compliant culture/modification protocols and validating/categorising disease targeting reagents.
The project is led by Dr Graham Wright at Edinburgh Napier University, and is a collaboration with the University of Glasgow, University College London and The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. You will be working with a collaborative group who are leaders within their fields and will be responsible for integrating their individual expertise to advance cell therapy of autoimmune disease.
The project will primarily be based at Edinburgh Napier University, where you will join a lab focused on cellular immune tolerance, but will also be involved in a significant amount of work within the University of Glasgow (year 1) and the SNBTS (year 2). In addition, you will be expected to make 1-2 short visits to University College London to perform experimental work and analysis; additional costs for accommodation and living expenses for this portion of the project will be provided.
Your main responsibilities will be to design and perform the experimental work as outlined in the project award, utilising a variety of immunological and molecular techniques. You will be expected to contribute to the effective communication and publication of findings in scientific literature and at national and international scientific meetings and conferences. You will also be involved in the training of postgraduate research students.
Who we are looking for
You will have a PhD in Immunology, Rheumatology, Biomedical Sciences or other related discipline. You must also have a track record in immunological/rheumatology research, preferably with a cellular focus, as evidenced by practical experience. Ideally, you will also have expertise in working with cell culture/in vitro analysis as well as cloning/gene-expression. You must be highly motivated with an ability to drive work forward independently, whilst also interacting with multiple teams at different locations.
For a detailed list of requirements, you can reach the full role profile here
Please note that the successful candidate must have permission to work in the UK by the start of their employment.
Benefits we offer
In return, we offer a great working environment where we support ambition, recognise achievement and offer an attractive benefits package. This includes a minimum of 46 days annual leave (includes bank holidays), a generous pension scheme, professional development opportunities, discounted access to onsite sports facilities and a wide range of other staff discounts
Further information about our benefits can be found here
Salary: £32,816 (Grade 5)
Additional Information
Application closing date: Wednesday 25 November 2020 (midnight GMT)
Interviews will be held on: 9 December 2020
Anticipated start date: 25 January 2021 (flexible)
This role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UKVI to enable sponsorship of migrant workers. Therefore, we cannot progress applications from candidates who require sponsorship to work in the UK. For further information on this, please visit the UK Visas and Immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
The University is committed to inclusion, demonstrated through our work in respect of our diversity awards and accreditations (Advance HE’s Athena SWAN Charter) and hold Disability Confident, Carer Positive and Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champion status. More details can be found here
