Post-Doctoral Research Associate at UCL

About us

University College London is amongst the best universities in the world; we are ranked 9th in the 2024 QS World University Rankings and rated 2nd in the UK for research power in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. Founded in 1826, UCL is a multidisciplinary university with more than 16,000 staff and 50,000 students from other 150 different countries.

Established in 1847, Mechanical Engineering hosts many recognised world-leaders in their fields. In the Manufacturing Futures Laboratory, we study the science of droplets, from breakup to splashing. We also study droplet impact on steady and moving liquids, on soft and hard solids and on patterned surfaces such as fabrics. Moreover, our research outcomes are often covered by the wider international media such as the New Scientist, Scientific American, and Popular Mechanics.

About the role

This is a joint project between The UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) and UCL Mechanical Engineering.

The physical-mechanical interactions that shape our skulls during infancy are poorly understood. This lack of fundamental knowledge limits our ability to advance treatment of a wide range of craniofacial conditions mostly affecting children. This is a significant engineering challenge due to the complexity of this system. In this project (CranioMech) you will address this challenge and critical gap in our knowledge while focusing on developing a revolutionary therapy for a major craniofacial condition called craniosynostosis (CS).

CranioMech aims to: (1) further develop the new therapy in mouse and unravel the fundamental underlying mechanism by which it works; (2) test its scalability in larger animal models; and (3) carry out a series of proof of concept studies in preparation for the first human trials, while unravelling the bio mechanics of current treatments of CS.

About you

The successful applicant will have a PhD in a relevant discipline, e.g. Biosciences or is near completion. They will have experience of using basic laboratory techniques (i.e. histology and immunohistochemistry) and a good knowledge of health and safety assessment/good laboratory practise. Experience in presenting and publishing work in leading conferences and journals in the field of biomedical science is essential. Experience in working with laboratory animals (i.e. mouse and pig) would be advantageous.

Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, the initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis. Please note the post is for 24 months in the first instance.

What we offer

For information about our rewards and benefits please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people and LGBTQI+ people.