Research Assistant/Associate in Epidemiology

We are seeking an excellent researcher to work on the testing and rollout of a novel diagnostic and sequencing tool for poliovirus, to support rapid outbreak detection.  The post is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and focuses on training in poliovirus direct detection and nanopore sequencing in laboratories globally and optimisation of laboratory methods for the detection of poliovirus.

You will work closely with the polio team in the Vaccine Epidemiology Research Group and have access to excellent peer support from with other members of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis. You will also communicate and meet with task teams from the GPEI and with staff at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The post would be suited to someone with experience in laboratory methods for molecular biology, especially with those with a keen interest in next-generation sequencing technologies. You will be expected to produce high quality research, submit publications to scientific journals, attend and present at conferences, and attend meetings with researchers and policy-makers relevant to the field.

Duties and responsibilities

Key objectives are as follows:

• To prepare next-generation sequencing libraries for the Oxford Nanopore platform and to analyse epidemiological and sequence data
• To support training in poliovirus direct detection and nanopore sequencing (DDNS) in laboratories in Africa and Asia
• To interact with other members of the research group and with our national and international partners

Essential requirements

You should Hold a PhD (for appointment to Research Associate) or a first/masters degree (for appointment to Research Assistant) in  a relevant laboratory based biomedical or similar subject and an interest in infectious disease epidemiology and/or vaccine research.

Further information

This role is offered on a full time, fixed term basis until 31 December 2024 in the first instance.  Imperial College is supportive of flexible working. The College is happy to discuss the possibility of implementing such arrangements for this post, with suitably qualified people, subject to operational requirements

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 – £41,388 per annum.

Should you have any queries please contact: Professor Nicholas Grassly ([email protected])

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