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Research Assistant
Division of Infection & Immunity
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant post in the Department of Medical Microbiology at Cardiff University School of Medicine.

Based at the Heath Park Campus, the post will support the current established Research Associate and PhD students collecting data for the Burden of Antibiotic Resistance in Neonates from Developing Societies (second phase) project. The primary aim is to perform high-throughput antimicrobial testing of Gram-positive bacteria and use Linux-based programmes (accessed through ARCCA) to determine mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and virulence. The project will include statistical analysis of large bacterial datasets and associated metadata using R or SPSS. The post will also support the group by designing projects for and managing annual intakes of 1-3 students completing placement year training (Biosciences) and 2-4 final year Medical Pharmacology or Biosciences undergraduate students completing 8-12 week wet-lab based projects.

Candidates with a degree (or nearing completion) in Biological or Biomedical Sciences with specific Microbiology modules or equivalent experience are encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that the applicant would be suitable to enrol for an MPhil or PhD post-graduate degree running in parallel to the post.

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr. Owen Spiller via email: [email protected].

Division: http://medicine.cf.ac.uk/infect-immun/
BARNARDS Cardiff: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/research-units/burden-of-antibiotic-resistance-in-neonates-from-developing-societies-barnards

This post is full time (35 hours per week), available from 1st June 2023 and is fixed term until 31st December 2025.

Salary: £29,762 - £34,314 per annum (Grade 5). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

The majority of roles at Cardiff University are currently operating under “blended working” arrangements, with staff having the flexibility to work partly from home and partly from the University campus depending on specific business requirements. Discussions around these arrangements can take place after the successful candidate has been appointed.

Date advert posted: Wednesday, 19 April 2023

Closing date: Sunday, 7 May 2023

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University

Main function

To perform bioinformatic analysis of bacterial genome sequences and statistical analysis of bacterial isolate metadata as part of a larger research team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To undertake research, e.g. by planning, preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcome of experiments and field work data.
• To use Linux based computing programmes accessed through command line within Cardiff’s Supercomputing Wales computing facilities.
• To use R scripts to facilitate data manipulation and analysis.
• To design projects for and manage placement year trainees and final year undergraduate students working in the field of medical microbiology.
• Actively participate within the research group, communicating and presenting research at meetings, through publications and other recognised avenues as appropriate, ensuring information is communicated to internal and external partners
• To contribute and support research publications and presentations as required
• To contribute and support research funding bids as required
• To analyse and communicate complex ideas, concepts and data using appropriate methods and packages

To resolve issues and support colleagues in devising procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting

• To generate research output and contribute to the development of independent and original ideas as appropriate

To provide support in research activities for undergraduate courses and research programmes and provide guidance to other members of staff within the research team

• To maintain and update area of specialist knowledge, researching and critically appraising relevant literature within the area.

Other

• To participate in School administration and activities to promote the School and its work to the wider University and the outside world
• To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
• To ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• To abide by the University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education
1. A degree (or nearing completion) in Biological or Biomedical Sciences with specific Microbiology modules or, equivalent experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Direct experience in high throughput antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Gram-positive bacteria, and determination of underlying mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Knowledge and full understanding of designing and carrying out virulence analysis using Galleria mellonella modelling.
3. Proven ability to analyse large bacterial datasets, define underlying antimicrobial mechanisms of resistance and statistically analyse associated metadata using R or SPSS.
4. Experience in supervising and managing undergraduate students in a research environment.
5. Knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding to be able to develop applications to funding bodies

Communication and Team Working
6. Proven communication skills, including presentation to various audiences
7. Excellent organisational and team-working skills

Other
8. Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and teamworking within work

Desirable Criteria

1. Hold acceptable existing qualifications to enable and be willing to undertake a higher post-graduate degree (MPhil or PhD) aligned to the project.
2. Experience in managing multiple undergraduate students and have a working knowledge of criteria pertaining to Placement Training Year students in Microbiology
3. Evidence of collaborations with industry.
4. Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.

It is the 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, 16442BR.

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.

29,762

34,314

Academic - Research, Medical & Dental

Grade 5