Research Assistant in Parkinson's disease biomarkers

Salary: £32,296 - £33,232 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 21 November 2024

The Role

The role of a Research Assistant within the Clinical Ageing Research Unit is suitable for highly motivated enthusiastic individuals, with a purpose to recruit to one of the largest longitudinal studies in Parkinson’s disease in a world leading research facility. The position is unique to the unit and ideal for those with experience in Parkinson’s disease who are wishing to further develop their career in Parkinson’s disease. 

You will be involved in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), Sponsored by The Michael J Fox Foundation. The objective of the study is to identify clinical, imaging and biological markers of Parkinson’s disease presence and track progression for use in clinical trials of disease modifying therapies. 

You will attend Movement Disorder Clinics and local Parkinson’s support groups to boost and sustain recruitment. You will assist in the identification of individuals with Parkinson’s disease or/and those of high risk.

We are committed to the professional career development of all our colleagues. You will benefit from a range of excellent development opportunities. The post could provide an excellent platform for a higher degree (PhD), if you wish to do so.

We benefit from a modern executive office environment at the heart of the University and Newcastle city centre.

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks will be sought. It is important to note working on site is non-negotiable. The position is a fixed term full time post working across 5 days. 

You will maintain close working relationships with the existing network of Movement Disorder team to facilitate recruitment of possible participants. You will also have close contact with staff at uMed, a company that automates the matching of relevant participant cohorts. The successful candidate will be tasked with contacting local general practitioners to make them aware of the PPMI study. You will also contribute to retention activities and admin related burden related to the site being the UK leading site assisting with and corresponding with ethical approval committees. Although working under the guidance of the Principal Investigator, the post holder will contribute ideas and enhancements to the methodological aspects of the study providing substantial and added value to the research. 

The post is available on a full time, fixed term basis for 12 months.

For informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Prof. Nicola Pavese nicola.pavese@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.

Key Accountabilities

•    Assist in the identification, screening, recruitment and assessment of individuals with PD or at risk of developing PD (prodromal PD).
•    Be responsible for research assessments of patients, in line with your role, including history taking, and disease specific rating scales, perform non-clinical tests (smell test etc.) as part of the studies and other tests.
•    Perform blood tests and blood processing in the laboratory and provide logistic for MRI, DaT scans, and PET scans.
•    Be responsible for delivery of the non-clinical neuropsychological tests requested in PPMI.
•    Interact with other members of the PPMI team, including for example, chief investigator, other co-principal investigators, the Study Co-ordinator, clinical ageing research unit staff members, associated research assistant/associates, laboratory technicians  and post-doctoral scientists.
•    Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value’. 
•    Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements. 
•    Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required.
•    Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding. 
•    Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids.
•    Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations.
•    Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
•    Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
•    May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants 
•    Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
•    May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities.
•    Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential
•    Expert knowledge of Parkinson’s and its causes.
•    Experience of human based research studies (either clinical or non-clinical).
•    Experience of working with people with neurodegenerative diseases.
•    Expertise in rating scales for Parkinson’s.
•    Expertise in phlebotomy and blood processing.
•    Excellent Database Management.
•    Expertise in statistical analyses.
•    Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills.
•    Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects. 
•    High level of analytical and problem-solving capability 
•    Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others. 
•    Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
•    Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 

Desirable
•    Excellent clinical skills with experience in the management of neurodegenerative diseases.
•    Basic clinical skills.

Attributes and Behaviour

•    Ambitious with a demonstrable drive to succeed and produce work at the highest level.
•    Clear commitment to a career in research.
•    Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
•    Willingness to support more junior members of the team.
•    Willingness to take on extra tasks and support other projects where appropriate.
•    Capacity for original thought.

Qualifications
Essential
•    Previous research degree (MRes, MSc, BSc etc.) or involvement in research publications.
•    Phlebotomy certification
•    Informed Consent Training

Desirable
•    Certifications for:
-    Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale
-    Montreal Cognitive Assessment 
-    UPSIT Smell Test

Other
•    A Research Passport will be required.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 27745