Research Assistant/Associate (Neuroscience)

Company description:

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Salary:

Research Assistant: £32,296 to £33,882 per annum

Research Associate: £34,866 per annum

Job description:

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant/Associate to join an Advanced Research + Invention Agency-funded project (subject to contract negotiations). The project aims to develop a Precision Control of Cortical Circuit Function.

The project is led by Newcastle University in collaboration with Imperial College London and Oxford University.

In this role, you will be embedded within the Biosciences Institute hosting one of the UK's largest groupings of neuroscientists, spanning the full range of approaches from molecular genetics to behaviour with a particular strength in system neuroscience. The Biosciences Institute is home to the largest community of non-human primate (NHP) researchers in the UK, benefiting from outstanding animal facilities and veterinary support.

What will I be doing?

Emerging high-density electrode array technologies provide untapped opportunities for precision read/write interfacing with cortical circuits for therapeutic applications. While the number of channels available in electrode arrays has recently dramatically increased driven by the inherent scalability of microfabrication and semiconductor technologies (e.g. Neuropixels with 384 channels and SiNAPS with 1024 channels per shank), the principles by which we use these arrays to interface with the brain have not kept pace.

You will use electrophysiological methods, including large-scale Neuropixel/SiNAPS recordings and causal manipulations using electrical and optogenetic interference techniques, to selectively target with spatial precision and cell-type specificity the behaviourally-relevant subpopulations within cortical circuits in nonhuman primates (NHPs) for closed-loop control of network dynamics and brain state. You will assist with animal training and sterile implant surgeries, and then perform daily electrophysiological recordings of neural and muscle activity during trained behavioural task performance. Further key tasks include; data analysis, producing drafts of publications as well as giving presentations on the findings at international conferences.

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role

This post is fixed term for a period of 3 years (from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028).

For informal enquiries contact: sasha.kraskov@newcastle.ac.uk and andrew.jackson@newcastle.ac.uk

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/

Find out more about our Research Institutes here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

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