IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Research Associate (SM144-10 c) Department: Surgery and Cancer Division: Cancer Job Family/Level: Research and Education Family, Level B Salary Range: £26,720 - £34,920 per annum Responsible to: Professor R Charles Coombes Contract: Full time for a fixed-term of up to 3 years in the first instance Location: Hammersmith Hospital campus, East Acton Purpose: The Imperial College London Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre has been established to create an internationally leading Centre focused on cancer and will support high quality multidisciplinary science. The Centre aims to better develop our understanding of cancer, existing therapies and to develop new therapies and biomarkers that will make a significant impact on patient care in the short to medium term and will also train the next generation of cancer scientists. This research activity is based within a five star research institution equipped with the latest technologies and facilities. The post is available from 1st October 2010 as part of a new Cancer Research UK funded 5-year programme grant based in the Cancer Centre, to carry out research on mechanisms of breast cancer progression and the development of new therapeutic agents. The successful applicant will work with Professor Charles Coombes in a multi-disciplinary team of biochemists, cell biologists, molecular biologists, medicinal chemists and oncologists. Project: The post-holder will join a team of biologists, chemists and oncologists to study notch and gamma secretase as targets for the treatment of breast and other cancers. The project arises out of our recent work that has identified novel potent and selective notch inhibitors. The project will involve compound screening and evaluation as cancer therapeutics, development of biomarkers, investigation of the mechanisms of inhibitor action and associated pharmacological development. The post-holder will be expected to help co-ordinate the multidisciplinary effort on this project and work towards developing an independent programme of research. Duties: The post holder will be required to carry out the following duties: Timely execution of the research project. To work independently but also liaise with other team members pursuing related research. To participate in research meetings, contributing to the presentation of results to the group, and in internal seminars. To prepare and present data from research in national and international conferences. Contribute to the preparation of grant reports and scientific publications as required. To support and attend research and educational activities, as appropriate. To support the senior academic staff of the group in their research work. Provide guidance to staff and students. Compliance with College policies, including financial regulations, equal opportunities, promoting race equality, health and safety policy, information systems security policy, intellectual property rights and register of interest policies. Compliance with Health and Safety Guidelines within the Laboratory. Compliance with ethical and CBS regulations. Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and so the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities. The post holder is expected to observe and comply with all College policies and regulations, for example Health and Safety, Data Protection etc. Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in our Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy and Disability Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks. PERSON SPECIFICATION Qualifications Essential The successful candidate will hold a PhD or equivalent qualification in biochemistry, pharmacology or a related subject. Experience and Knowledge Essential Evidence of previous work in this area of research and/or associated techniques applicable to the project. Proven experience and or knowledge of drug development. Desirable Experience with in vivo models and pharmacological assays involved in drug development. Experience in notch signaling. Experience and familiarity of ChIP sequencing, Bioinformatics and drug discovery Skills and Abilities Essential Excellent interpersonal skills. Proven time management and organisational skills. Proven ability to work on own initiative and function as part of a team. Excellent verbal communication skills and ability to deal with a wide range of people. Excellent written communication skills and ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication. Proven ability to prioritise own workload to meet deadlines whilst maintaining a high degree of accuracy. Desirable Ability to present papers, generate progress reports, publish papers. Ability to use electronic databases and reference sources. APPLICATION GUIDANCE Please read the person specification carefully and describe, as part of your application, how much you feel you meet each of the criteria. If you attach a CV it should include the following information: Applicant’s full name, private address and private telephone number A confidential fax number and e-mail address, where possible Degrees (including University and dates) Past and present posts List of publications Brief description of future research plans Names, addresses and, email, fax numbers, of three referees. Thank you for your interest in this post. We look forward to receiving your application.