Job Description

Overall purpose:

The post holder will deputise for the Head of the Facility in providing a high-quality sorting service to all scientists using the Flow Cytometry Facility at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). You will join an established team of expert flow cytometrists with particular strengths in cell biology. Duties will include daily instrument QC, operation, maintenance and work scheduling. The post holder will also train the staff and users of the facility and will contribute to day-to-day management of the facility by supporting scientists using a wide range of cytometers and cytometry techniques. Overall the post holder will be expected to be a source of expertise in flow cytometry and play a major role in the technological development of the facility which includes consultation with scientists and advising on experimental design and data analysis. The goal would be to ensure that the equipment and techniques generate qualitatively reproduceable data for the users of the Facility.

Main duties/ Key responsibilities:

1. To support the work of the Head of the Flow Cytometry Facility in providing a reliable cell sorting and analysis service for researchers.
2. To execute the daily operation, QC and maintenance of cell sorters and flow cytometers including the ThermoFisher Bigfoot, Beckman Coulter CytoFLEX LX, Sony ID7000 and Synergy, Beckton Dickinson Fusion and Fortessa and Miltenyi TytoLux.
3. To support the Head in contributions to the drafting of standard operating protocols, risk assessments and grant proposals.
4. Contribution to the day-to-day management of the facility including scheduling time sensitive experiments and coordinating with service engineers, biotechnology sales representatives and application specialists in the field of flow cytometry.
5. To train post-doctoral scientists, students and research staff in state-of-the-art cytometric instrumentation and techniques.
6. To provide consultation and advice on flow cytometry experimental design and data analysis.
7. To keep up to date with developments in the field and to propose or implement changes as necessary. This will include attending commercial tutorials, scientific meetings and/or conferences and academic seminars.
   

Working relationships:

The post holder will report to the Head of the Flow Cytometry Facility. They will also work closely with users of the facility including facility staff, post-doctoral scientists, graduate students, research support personnel, work experience students and external collaborators and colleagues. The post also requires some interaction with external service providers.

Person Specification

Education / qualifications / training required:

Essential: A degree in a scientific subject, with relevant work experience

Desirable: PhD in a relevant scientific field, or equivalent work experience

Previous work experience required:

Essential: Experience of working in a research laboratory with flow cytometer analysers and cell sorters

Desirable: Previous experience in a similar role within an academic core facility

Knowledge and experience:

Technical Knowledge/Experience

Essential:
• Theoretical and practical background in flow cytometry, including running and analysing samples on a sorter and analyser.
• Experience in understanding and interpreting the technical requirements of users within a scientific research environment.
• Experience with flow cytometry instrumentation computer software.

Desirable:
• Experience with operating and troubleshooting jet-in-air cell sorters.
• Experience with high-dimensional spectral cytometry or imaging cytometry.
• Experience in analysis of complex datasets using software such as R, Python, viSNE, OMIQ or FlowJo

Independent working

Essential:
• Experience of working with little supervision.
• Good judgement in assessing when to seek support.
• Ability to act independently in solving technical problems.

Desirable: Willingness to contribute to applications and methods development.

Verbal and written communication skills

Essential:
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to convey complex technical issues in an accessible way.
• Experience in giving presentations or teaching/demonstrating technical subjects.

Desirable: Experience with grant and proposal writing

Personal skills / behaviours / qualities:

Essential:
• Awareness of health and safety issues
• Ability to manage time and work to strict deadlines
• Able to take initiative, focused and well-organized
• Methodical and thorough, well organised and diligent
• Good organisation and adaptability to regularly changing workloads
• Ability to remain professional under conflicting demands

Desirable:
• Experience working in a Containment Level 2 (CL2) laboratory
• Comfortable working under pressure
• Interest in the development of pedagogical practices to improve understanding and practical knowledge in state-of-the-art flow cytometry instrumentation and techniques

Additional information:

Flexible hours can be negotiated within reason and the needs of the Facility. Some degree of flexibility at either end of the normal working day would be very desirable.

Corporate Responsibilities

You must at all times carry out your responsibilities with due regard to the UKRI:

• Code of Conduct
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy
• Health and Safety policy
• Data Protection policy

s should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal. Any changes should be made and agreed between you and your manager.

The above lists are not exhaustive and you are required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post, the MRC and UKRI.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.