Research Assistant – Molecular Biology

About Us

Are you interested in contributing to groundbreaking mental health research? If so, we are looking for a talented lab-based research assistant to join our pioneering MRC-funded project. You will be directly involved in creating the largest collection of X Chromosome Inactivation data in the world to help transform our understanding of major depressive disorder.

Based at King’s College London, a leading research institute, you will be part of a cutting-edge research project supported by our research team in the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre. You will have the opportunity to advance your skills through courses and training, empowering you to achieve your long-term career aspirations while contributing to the forefront of scientific discovery.  

About The Role

Depression affects millions of people worldwide and presents a compelling challenge to researchers. With women disproportionately affected, our project aims to illuminate the biological underpinnings behind these sex-specific differences. You will take the lead in the generation of novel X chromosome inactivation data for approximately 6,000 individuals which will be instrumental in advancing our understanding of depression.

To generate this data the Human Androgen Receptor Assay (HUMARA) protocol will be used. This is a multi-stage protocol with the restriction enzyme digest and PCR steps performed by the successful candidate. The role will allow you to work independently enabling you to optimise the workflow to achieve an efficient throughput of samples. It will also require a very high level of attention to detail to maximise the accuracy of the data produced. The candidate will also calculate the skewness of X chromosome inactivation enabling them to gain additional data analysis skills. You will be expected to communicate effectively with other researchers involved in the project and contribute to the writing of research outputs.

As a valued member of our research team at the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, you will be part of a collaborative research environment led by distinguished experts, Dr David Howard (Principal Investigator) and Dr Chloe Wong (Senior Lecturer). In this inclusive and supportive environment, your contributions will be valued, and you will have the opportunity to strengthen your own research and professional skills. There will also be opportunities to develop your science communication skills by presenting your research to colleagues and relevant partners.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week) for a one-year fixed term contract.

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

If you encounter any issues using the "Apply" button, you can email your application to HR@kcl.ac.uk 

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