Salary: £27,319.00 - £28,031.00 per annum pro rata 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: 13 March 2026 The Role We are looking for a motivated Technical Assistant to join our team developing ways to identify individuals with Lewy body disorders in a clinical setting. You will undertake tissue isolation and analysis of samples from people with and without Lewy body disorders such as Parkinson’s, dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer’s, and normal older individuals. In this role, you will be based at our Newcastle Upon Tyne Health Innovation Neighbourhood campus. You will join the world-leading, multidisciplinary Mental Health and Neurodegeneration Theme (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/research-themes/mental-health/), which aims to research, understand, and treat a range of disorders of the nervous system. Our research team focusses on Lewy body disorders from basic to translational clinical research, to identify ways to accurately diagnose individuals and to generate novel therapeutic approaches. You will work under the direct supervision of Drs Chris Morris, Jon Sellars, and Paul Donaghy,. The position is a fixed term, part-time (0.5FTE) post and available for a duration of 9 months in the first instance, with possible extension for two years, starting as soon as possible and ending on the 31.12.2026. We recognise and support diverse personal circumstances and are open to discuss flexible working arrangements. To apply for the position, you should provide your CV and a personal statement outlining how you are suitable for the role. You should highlight how you meet the essential criteria in the knowledge, skills and experience as listed in the job description. Please focus your cover letter on the following key areas, outlining your ability and/or experience with: Assay of different analytes from patient samples Sample and assay preparation within a laboratory setting Use of different laboratory methods to analyse tissue or other samples Collaborating regularly with the Principal Investigator, team members, and external partners to ensure high-quality research and the timely achievement of project goals If you have any questions prior to applying, please contact Dr Chris Morris ( c.m.morris@ncl.ac.uk ) or Dr Jon Sellars ( mailto:Jon.Sellars@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. Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role. Key Accountabilities Assay different analytes from patient samples Sample and assay preparations within a laboratory setting Use different laboratory methods to analyse tissue or other samples presenting research findings within the group as necessary Perform Immunofluorescent assays on human tissue To contribute to the maintenance of SOPs and other laboratory management and quality documents relating to the processing and storage of research samples Complete a range of maintenance activities and repairs Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve problems and investigate replacement options Advise on equipment capabilities demonstrating how results can be achieved By developing local procedures, establish and maintain a safe/compliant working environment Assist with the completion and updating of a wide range of safety paperwork Oversee compliance tasks ensuring timely completion and maintenance of appropriate records Maintain broad and up to date health and safety knowledge providing support/advice to others. Schedule, prioritize and monitor work and performance in line with demands and deadlines Hold delegated responsibility from the academic/technical lead for the planning, operation, and supervision of a variety of laboratory spaces. Work collaboratively with the other areas to ensure efficiency and elimination of duplicated effort Organize and facilitate progress and management meetings Be a key contributor to service development, delivery and planning Contribute and support change Oversee local record keeping, inventory and asset management Monitor resource usage and stores operations Source and negotiate with suppliers for a range of items including specialist parts/equipment Create, update and implement procedures to deliver an aligned, efficient and effective service Provide a broad range of skilled research/teaching support Manage equipment bookings and assist with recharging Contribute to small- and large-scale building works Design, develop and deliver inductions, demonstrations and training covering a broad range of activities (not limited to techniques and equipment) Assist managers with the identification of training and development needs Develop a broad knowledge and skills base, sharing with others Mentor junior staff Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required The Person Knowledge, Skills and Experience Experience in assays of human biological fluids and tissues including immunofluorescence assays (ELISA) Experience of tissue processing Thorough working knowledge of Health and Safety procedures, and experience of safe waste management within a workshop/laboratory environment. Demonstrable work experience in a relevant technical laboratory role Excellent team working skills Demonstrates technical and problem solving capability Demonstrates good organising ability to meet deadlines with a positive and proactive approach to duties and attention to detail Ability to adapt to changes in research priorities Desirable Subject knowledge of neurodegenerative disorders Experience in assessing neural function Attributes and Behaviour Excellent oral and written communication skills Good interpersonal skills to interface with staff Attention to detail to ensure accuracy and precision Work in a collaborative and flexible way To exhibit University and Faculty values and principles Qualifications BTEC HNC/HND or equivalent in relevant subject or equivalent experience Desirable Professional registration with an accredited professional body (including HEA) or working towards this on appointment 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 Gold 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: 29138