Internal Redeployment Only - Research Assistant (Bioinformatician)

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Please note that this job is open only to current members of staff of Cardiff University who are eligible for redeployment.

Internal Redeployment Only - Research Assistant (Bioinformatician)
Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

We are looking for a Part Time Research Assistant (Bioinformatician) to join Dr Gaynor Smith and Professor Valentia Escott-Price's Laboratory in the School of Medicine and UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University.

In this role, you will:

Support a Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK) funded research project, working closely with post-doctoral research associates, technicians and PhD students to complete several bioinformatic experiments to investigate an Alzheimer's risk gene.
Contribute to general lab organisation and cleanliness.
Help maintain a Drosophila (fruit fly) collection - perform husbandry and make fly food.
Carry out experiments in the wet lab and fly lab and collect data.
You will have opportunities to develop your technical skills (microscopy, data collection & analysis), supporting an interdisciplinary team of researchers working in translational neuroscience.

We'd like to hear from you if you:

Are an enthusiastic and ambitious Research Assistant with a drive to work in neuroscience, dementia and neurodegeneration-focused research;
Are excited to support a collaborative project, and contribute to the wider objectives of a translational research team;
Have research experience handling large human genetic data with an interest in Alzheimer's disease
Have knowledge in statistical data analyses and genetic epidemiology

This post is based at the Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays campus.

This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus you can also choose to spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home.
The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave pro rata (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.

How we will support you in performing in this role -

There are some things that you must have before you can start this role (see 'Essential Criteria'), but other things can be developed either through training, or just by general on-the-job experience. We want to support and develop you once you have started in the role using a combination of the following to get the best out of you:

1. Regular one-to-ones with your manager
2. An experienced and supportive team around you
3. Supporting you through job-relevant training and development that you may require
4. A mentoring scheme

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Gaynor Smith via email (smithga@cf.ac.uk)

This post is part-time (17.5 hours per week), available from 1 May 2026 and fixed term until 30 April 2027.

Salary: £33,951 - £36,636 per annum, pro rata (Grade 5). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Closing date: Friday, 5 December 2025

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. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

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

Job Description

Job Purpose
To contribute to bioinformatic research within the Dementia field, carrying out supporting work that helps lead to the publishing of high-quality research. To pursue excellence in research and to inspire others to do the same.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Duties

To undertake bioinformatic research, e.g. by planning, preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcome of experiments.
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.

Additional Information

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria

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, 21032BR

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.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

A degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent experience

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Knowledge of research methods and techniques within Bioinformatics
Proven ability to analyse complex information and summarise appropriately
Knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding to be able to develop applications to funding bodies

Communication and Team Working

Proven communication skills, including presentation to various audiences
Excellent organisational and team-working skills

Other

Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and teamworking within

Desirable Criteria

Postgraduate degree at PhD level (or nearing completion / submission) in a related subject area or relevant industrial experience
Proven ability to work without close supervision
Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.
Evidence of work in the Alzheimer's disease field.
Evidence of work with high resolution confocal microscopy

Description

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