(Senior) Laboratory Research Scientist - Job Description

(Senior) Laboratory Research Scientist - Job Description

 

Job title: (S)LRS – D. Balchin lab

 

Reporting to: David Balchin, Group leader

 

Contract term: This is a full-time fixed term (1 year) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment. 

 

Salary for this Role: From £ xxx with benefits, subject to skills and experience

 

Closing date and time: March 1^st 2023

 

 

The Research Group 

 

The Protein Biogenesis lab (https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/david-balchin) at the Francis Crick institute is looking for a laboratory research scientist to join our team as maternity cover. The position is for 1 year. We will consider applicants at various levels, and competitive pay commensurate to experience applies.

The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under in one building in Europe. The institute houses cutting-edge platforms for structural biology, biophysics and proteomics, amongst many others.  

Our team is focused on determining how the cellular environment shapes pathways of protein folding.

Project directions include studies of cotranslational protein folding and assembly in bacteria and human cells, the coordination between protein synthesis and molecular chaperones, and principles of nascent protein quality control at the ribosome. 

 

Our group was established in 2020, and currently consists of 3 postdocs, 3 PhD students and 1 staff scientist. We are committed to maintaining a supportive and collaborative research environment, and we particularly value collegiality and open scientific discussion.

 

 

The Role

 

Protein folding begins during translation at the ribosome and is assisted by diverse molecular chaperones that engage the nascent polypeptide before its synthesis is complete. Although cotranslational folding and chaperone action are often critical to efficient protein biogenesis, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.

In their role as laboratory research scientist, the successful applicant will support our team’s efforts to characterise mechanisms of protein maturation and quality control. They will either focus on a single project for the duration of the term, or support multiple projects in the group. The successful candidate will also act as the group’s lab manager. This entails managing reagent stocks and databases, maintaining lab organisation, and placing orders.

Our work is multi-disciplinary and we will consider applicants with diverse expertise, including protein biochemistry, RNA biology, cell biology, structural biology, or related fields.

 

Key experience and competencies

 

The successful applicant must have strong organisational skills, and be passionate about maintaining a healthy research environment.

The post holder should also embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: 

Bold; Imaginative; Open; Dynamic; Collegial

 

Essential 

• BSc or PhD in Protein Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology or related disciplines 
• Experience in basic laboratory techniques

• Strong molecular biology skills

• Strong organisational skills and thorough record-keeping
• Strong collaboration skills

Desirable

 

About Us

 

At the Crick, we conduct research at the forefront of biomedical research. We combine rigour with an open and collaborative culture, and are outward-looking, reflecting our status as a partnership of six organisations aiming to pool knowledge, ideas and resources.

We have a wide research portfolio with no divisions or departments, bringing biomedical researchers together with clinicians, physical scientists and applied scientists from our pharmaceutical partners.

We aim to attract the most talented researchers and support them to tackle innovative research questions. Our science technology platforms provide our researchers with access to state-of-the-art technology and expertise.

We provide an excellent learning environment with dedicated education programmes in public engagement with science, education and personal development, and a postdoc training programme that prepares scientists for leadership roles in science.

• If you are interested in applying for this role, please apply via our website.
• All offers of employment are subject to successful security screening and continuous eligibility to work in the United Kingdom. 
• If you require a visa to work in the UK we will help support your application should you be successful

 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, age, disability, or civil partnership, marital or family status. We particularly welcome applications from people who are Minority Ethnic as they are currently underrepresented in the Crick at this level.

Diversity is essential to excellence in scientific endeavour. It increases breadth and perspective, leading to more innovation and creativity. We want the Crick to be a place where everyone feels valued and where diversity is celebrated and seen as part of the foundation for our Institute’s success.

The Crick is committed to creating equality of opportunity and promoting diversity and inclusivity. We all share in the responsibility to actively promote dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment and it is our aim to ensure that these principles are reflected and implemented in all strategies, policies and practices.

Read more on our website: https://www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-study/life-at-the-crick/equality-diversity-and-inclusion