Technical Specialist – Dr Jason Webber (Division of Cancer & Genetics, School of Medicine) group, Cardiff University
5.11.2019Technical Specialist
9216BR
School of Medicine
Managerial, Professional and Specialist Staff – MPSS
Advert
Technical Specialist
Division of Cancer and Genetics
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences
We are seeking a highly talented and enthusiastic scientist to join the Tissue Microenvironment Group, working on an exciting new project entitled “Making a difference in prostate cancer: developing a new blood based test for early diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer”. The project is led by Dr Jason Webber (Division of Cancer & Genetics, School of Medicine) and funded by Cancer Research Wales.
When diagnosing patients with prostate cancer, it is difficult to discriminate patients with slow growing tumours from those with aggressive tumours who require urgent treatment. Currently, doctors rely on tissue biopsy, which is an invasive procedure with potential for numerous complications. There remains an unmet need for a simple, non-invasive, assay for diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Utilising existing expertise within the group, you will support the development of a blood-based test, to detect RNAs contained within extracellular vesicles, capable of identifying patients with aggressive prostate cancer. This will involve collaboration with researchers locally, at the Wales Gene Park, and further afield.
Applicants should
have a degree in a biomedical science and relevant laboratory
experience. In addition, you must have excellent organisational skills
and previous experience in the conduct, interpretation and reporting of
qualitative and quantitative research.
For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Jason Webber – WebberJP@cardiff.ac.uk
This post is part-time (28 hours per week – pattern to be agreed), fixed term until 31 January 2022 and available from 3 February 2020.
Salary
£27,511 – £31,866 per annum, pro rata for hours worked (Grade 5). It
is anticipated that the maximum starting point will be point 23 (£27,511
per annum, pro rata).
Date advert posted: Monday, 28 October 2019
Closing date: Thursday, 28 November 2019
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.
Job Description
Job Purpose
Support
the University in development of a novel assay for detection of
extracellular vesicles from cell culture and patient biofluids, carrying
out supporting work, providing advice, guidance and support, and
leading projects within this area.
Duties and Responsibilities
Key Duties
• Provide
professional advice and guidance on processes and procedures associated
with the isolation and characterisation of extracellular vesicles to
internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to
suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and
ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood
• Investigation
and analysis of specific issues relating to detection of extracellular
vesicles, creating recommendation reports, supported by advances within
the field of extracellular vesicle biology
• Ensure that the
provision of a proof-of-concept assay for detection of patient-derived
extracellular vesicles is delivered to the institution, proactively
changing the delivery according to customer requirements
• Collaborate with others in order to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures
• Establish
working relationships with key contacts, developing appropriate
communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and
outside bodies as required
• Create specific working groups from
colleagues across the University to achieve Tissue Microenvironment
Group (TMEG) and wider Division of Cancer & Genetics (DCG) / School
of Medicine objectives
• Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives
• Develop and deliver training within isolation and detection of extracellular vesicles
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the department
• Instruct
and guide other employees across the University within aspects of
extracellular vesicle biology (including isolation, detection, and
characterisation) as required
General Duties
• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications and Education
1. Degree in a biomedical science/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Substantial experience of working within a research laboratory
3. Able
to demonstrate professional knowledge of research methods and
techniques (e.g. cell culture, RNA isolation, qPCR, ELISAs, flow
cytometry etc) to give advice and guidance to internal and external
customers
4. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate
Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
5. Ability
to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information
effectively and professionally with a wide range of people
6. Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered
Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving
7. Evidence
of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity;
identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems
with a range of potential outcomes
8. Evidence of demonstrable
knowledge of key advances within research methods and techniques (e.g.
cell culture, RNA isolation, qPCR, ELISAs, flow cytometry etc)
9. Evidence
of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting
priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress
Other
10. A willingness to undertake further training and development
Desirable Criteria
11. Experience of working with/analysing data from next generation sequencing studies
12. Postgraduate/Professional qualification
13. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
14. A demonstrable history of contributing to excellent publications in the area
15. Knowledge/experience of working with extracellular vesicles
Additional Information
IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria
It
is 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, 9216BR.
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.
Salary Range Min.
£27,511
Salary Range Max.
£31,866
Job Category
Academic – Research, Technical
Grade
Grade 5