Technical Specialist

Vacancy Reference Number
18435BR
Closing Date
29 May 2024
Salary
Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.
Address
UK DRI at UK DRI at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
Duration
This post is full-time (35 hours per week), available from 1st July 2024 and fixed term until 30th June 2026

Dementia is the greatest health challenge of our century. There is no way to prevent it or even slow its progression, and there is an urgent need to fill the knowledge gap in our basic understanding of the diseases that cause it.

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) is the biggest UK initiative driving forward research to fill this gap. The UK DRI is a joint £290 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. Centred on the need for innovative, early-stage science to advance our understanding of how dementias develop and progress, the UK DRI’s research will bring new therapies to patients faster.

Prof Vincent Dion’s group develops novel approaches to treat expanded CAG/CTG repeat disorders, including Huntington’s disease and myotonic dystrophy. His lab is developing gene editing approaches to contract the disease causing sequences using the Cas9 nickase. To help move this exciting project forward, we are looking to hire a specialist in gene editing and sequencing of expanded repeats. The person should also be able to culture iPSCs, perform gene editing in both immortalised cell lines and iPSCs, and be able to sequence expanded repeats – from library preparation to running the bioinformatics pipeline.

Job Purpose

Support the University within gene editing and expanded repeat sequencing 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 gene editing processes in immortalised cell lines and iPSCs and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring understanding of complex and conceptual issues.
  • Investigate and analyse specific issues within the sequencing of expanded repeats, creating recommendation reports, supported by advances within the next generation sequencing field.
  • Ensure that the provision of gene editing 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 UK Dementia Research Institute objectives
  • Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives.
  • Develop and deliver training within gene editing and repeat sequencing.
  • Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the Division.
  • Instruct and guide other employees across the University within gene editing and repeat sequencing 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/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

2. Substantial experience of working within:

a)    iPSC culture.

b)    Gene editing in iPSCs and in immortalised cell lines.

c)    Sequencing of expanded CAG/CTG repeats from library preparation to bioinformatics analysis of repeat size.

3. Ability to demonstrate professional knowledge within specialist disciplines, as defined in (2), 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 range of potential outcomes.

8. Evidence of demonstrable knowledge of key advances within specialist disciplines.

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 with:

a. Protein work: western blotting, immunoprecipitation, etc.

b. Molecular biology, PCR, molecular cloning, etc.

12. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.

13. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral

Further Information

https://krb-sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?PageType=JobDetails&partnerid=30011&siteid=5460&AReq=18435BR#jobDetails=2155622_5460

Contact Details

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Vincent Dion on DionV@cardiff.ac.uk