Research Assistant in “Human Pathogens in the Environment”
University of Stirling
Research Assistant in “Human Pathogens in the Environment”
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Post Details
Full time
Fixed term for 24 months
The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 17 October 2022.
Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 24 October 2022.
There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.
This role is not eligible for sponsorship. Applicants require to have existing right to work in the UK.
The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.
The Post
Applications are invited for a Research Assistant (RA) position to work on “Human Pathogens in the Environment” We are seeking a highly motivated individual specialising in environmental science, environmental microbiology and/or mosquito vector ecology. The successful candidate will be based in Stirling and become part of a wider interdisciplinary team aiming to understand the persistence, survival, and cycling of human pathogens in the environment. Our research projects focus on quantifying the effects of pollution and climate change for increasing the routes of exposure to pathogens in the environment. The successful candidate will also join the teams of two of our current research projects (Plastic Vectors Projec t and the SPACES Project ), which are quantifying human pathogens on the surfaces of plastic pollution and the increased habitat provision provided by plastics in the environment for medically important species of mosquitoes.
The appointee for this post will work closely with post-doctoral researchers and PhD students to conduct a range of manipulative lab and field experiments in Stirling in highly controlled conditions. The successful candidate will also carry out extensive field work sampling and surveillance at a range of field sites, including coastal waters and sandy beaches, freshwater rivers and lakes, and agronomic field sites. In addition, the position will also involve some research on the interaction of mosquito larvae with microplastics within the context of wider mosquito ecology.
The appointee will become embedded within a thriving research environment at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES), with more than 40 principal investigators, alongside postdoctoral researchers and 60 PhD students.
Additional Information
Informal enquiries may be made to Prof. Richard Quilliam, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences ([email protected] ).
The University of Stirling offers great benefits such as generous annual leave and membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme with employer contributions of 16%. Additionally, staff can benefit from a reduced membership rate at the University’s excellent Sport Centre facilities and the option of childcare vouchers through a salary sacrifice scheme.
Equality and diversity are central to our activities at the University of Stirling. We believe everyone should be treated with respect and we deal with people as equals. We promote equality and celebrate diversity through a variety of initiatives. The University has been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze award, the national charter for women in science, which recognises and promotes good practice in advancing women’s careers in STEMM academia (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine). In addition, Biological & Environmental Sciences holds a departmental Athena Swan bronze award. Further details can be found at http://www.stir.ac.uk/equalityanddiversity/athenaswan/
We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group, but as women and members of ethnic minority groups are currently under-represented at this level of post, we would encourage applications from members of these groups. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
Description of Duties
- Develop microcosm systems to quantify human pathogen persistence in a range of environmental conditions
- Use molecular and culture-dependent approaches to quantify concentrations of human bacterial and fungal pathogens in environmental samples
- Contribute to the intellectual development of research projects, including analysing data
- Participate in project meetings
- Where appropriate, help supervise students working on related research.
Essential Criteria
- BSc and/or MSc in a relevant discipline, such as, microbiology, biology, molecular biology, biological or environmental sciences
- Extensive experience of using aseptic technique and microbiological techniques
- Experience in culturing bacteria and/or fungi
- Standard molecular techniques, e.g., DNA extraction and experience with PCR
- Evidence of excellent time management
- Evidence of problem-solving capacity
- Evidence of being able to work with minimal supervision
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in working with Hazard Group 2 microorganisms (human pathogens)
- Knowledge of the behaviour of human enteric pathogens in the environment
- Experience of working with larvae of medically important mosquito species
- Knowledge of risk assessment approaches
- Skills in statistical analysis
- Experience of field work, and sample collection from different environments
- Driving licence
Behaviours and Competencies
The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.
Being aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
Providing the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
Identifying and making the most productive use of resources including people, time, information, networks and budgets.
Enhancing your contribution to the organisation through an understanding of the bigger picture and showing commitment to organisational values.
Showing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
Working collaboratively with others in order to achieve objectives. Recognising and valuing the different contributions people bring to this process.
Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done.
The University
The University of Stirling is committed to providing education with a purpose and carrying out research which has a positive impact on communities across the globe – addressing real issues, providing solutions and helping to shape society. Stirling is 4th in Scotland and 43rd in the UK for research impact, with 87% of its research having an outstanding or very considerable impact on society – and more than 80% rated either world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021). Interdisciplinary in its approach, Stirling’s research informs its teaching curriculum and facilitates opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration between staff, students, industry partners and the wider community.
The University of Stirling is ranked among the top 30 UK universities for student satisfaction (National Student Survey) and top 10 in the UK for postgraduate student experience (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey), and has an overall five-star rating in the QS Stars University Ratings.
More than 17,000 students study with the University of Stirling globally, with over 120 nationalities represented on its scenic central Scotland campus alone. The campus – also home to 1,700 staff – has its own loch and castle, and a recent multi-million-pound redevelopment has delivered modern, flexible, and digitally connected study and social spaces at the heart of campus, including enhanced student support and retail and catering outlets.
The University has twice been recognised with a Queen’s Anniversary Prize – the first for its Institute for Social Marketing and Health (2014) and the second for its Institute of Aquaculture (2019). Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and its recently redeveloped world-class facilities provide the perfect training environment for the University’s sports scholars – many of whom compete at the highest level, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games – and for students, staff, and the wider community.
As a signatory to the £214 million Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, the University is driving productivity and inclusive growth across the Forth Valley, and beyond. Through pioneering collaborative solutions to global challenges, researchers are putting innovation, skills, and partnership at the heart of a sustainable economic recovery.
www.stir.ac.uk @stiruni
- Job number
FAC01635
- Contract Type
Fixed Term Contract
- Closing date
17-Oct-2022
- Location:
Stirling Campus
- Grade
Grade6 £27,929-£34,308 p.a.
- Faculty/Service
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Post Details
Full time
Fixed term for 24 months
The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 17 October 2022.
Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 24 October 2022.
There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.
This role is not eligible for sponsorship. Applicants require to have existing right to work in the UK.
The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.
The Post
Applications are invited for a Research Assistant (RA) position to work on “Human Pathogens in the Environment” We are seeking a highly motivated individual specialising in environmental science, environmental microbiology and/or mosquito vector ecology. The successful candidate will be based in Stirling and become part of a wider interdisciplinary team aiming to understand the persistence, survival, and cycling of human pathogens in the environment. Our research projects focus on quantifying the effects of pollution and climate change for increasing the routes of exposure to pathogens in the environment. The successful candidate will also join the teams of two of our current research projects (Plastic Vectors Projec t and the SPACES Project ), which are quantifying human pathogens on the surfaces of plastic pollution and the increased habitat provision provided by plastics in the environment for medically important species of mosquitoes.
The appointee for this post will work closely with post-doctoral researchers and PhD students to conduct a range of manipulative lab and field experiments in Stirling in highly controlled conditions. The successful candidate will also carry out extensive field work sampling and surveillance at a range of field sites, including coastal waters and sandy beaches, freshwater rivers and lakes, and agronomic field sites. In addition, the position will also involve some research on the interaction of mosquito larvae with microplastics within the context of wider mosquito ecology.
The appointee will become embedded within a thriving research environment at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES), with more than 40 principal investigators, alongside postdoctoral researchers and 60 PhD students.
Additional Information
Informal enquiries may be made to Prof. Richard Quilliam, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences ([email protected] ).
The University of Stirling offers great benefits such as generous annual leave and membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme with employer contributions of 16%. Additionally, staff can benefit from a reduced membership rate at the University’s excellent Sport Centre facilities and the option of childcare vouchers through a salary sacrifice scheme.
Equality and diversity are central to our activities at the University of Stirling. We believe everyone should be treated with respect and we deal with people as equals. We promote equality and celebrate diversity through a variety of initiatives. The University has been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze award, the national charter for women in science, which recognises and promotes good practice in advancing women’s careers in STEMM academia (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine). In addition, Biological & Environmental Sciences holds a departmental Athena Swan bronze award. Further details can be found at http://www.stir.ac.uk/equalityanddiversity/athenaswan/
We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group, but as women and members of ethnic minority groups are currently under-represented at this level of post, we would encourage applications from members of these groups. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
Description of Duties
- Develop microcosm systems to quantify human pathogen persistence in a range of environmental conditions
- Use molecular and culture-dependent approaches to quantify concentrations of human bacterial and fungal pathogens in environmental samples
- Contribute to the intellectual development of research projects, including analysing data
- Participate in project meetings
- Where appropriate, help supervise students working on related research.
Essential Criteria
- BSc and/or MSc in a relevant discipline, such as, microbiology, biology, molecular biology, biological or environmental sciences
- Extensive experience of using aseptic technique and microbiological techniques
- Experience in culturing bacteria and/or fungi
- Standard molecular techniques, e.g., DNA extraction and experience with PCR
- Evidence of excellent time management
- Evidence of problem-solving capacity
- Evidence of being able to work with minimal supervision
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in working with Hazard Group 2 microorganisms (human pathogens)
- Knowledge of the behaviour of human enteric pathogens in the environment
- Experience of working with larvae of medically important mosquito species
- Knowledge of risk assessment approaches
- Skills in statistical analysis
- Experience of field work, and sample collection from different environments
- Driving licence
Behaviours and Competencies
The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.
Being aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
Providing the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
Identifying and making the most productive use of resources including people, time, information, networks and budgets.
Enhancing your contribution to the organisation through an understanding of the bigger picture and showing commitment to organisational values.
Showing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
Working collaboratively with others in order to achieve objectives. Recognising and valuing the different contributions people bring to this process.
Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done.
The University
The University of Stirling is committed to providing education with a purpose and carrying out research which has a positive impact on communities across the globe – addressing real issues, providing solutions and helping to shape society. Stirling is 4th in Scotland and 43rd in the UK for research impact, with 87% of its research having an outstanding or very considerable impact on society – and more than 80% rated either world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021). Interdisciplinary in its approach, Stirling’s research informs its teaching curriculum and facilitates opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration between staff, students, industry partners and the wider community.
The University of Stirling is ranked among the top 30 UK universities for student satisfaction (National Student Survey) and top 10 in the UK for postgraduate student experience (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey), and has an overall five-star rating in the QS Stars University Ratings.
More than 17,000 students study with the University of Stirling globally, with over 120 nationalities represented on its scenic central Scotland campus alone. The campus – also home to 1,700 staff – has its own loch and castle, and a recent multi-million-pound redevelopment has delivered modern, flexible, and digitally connected study and social spaces at the heart of campus, including enhanced student support and retail and catering outlets.
The University has twice been recognised with a Queen’s Anniversary Prize – the first for its Institute for Social Marketing and Health (2014) and the second for its Institute of Aquaculture (2019). Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and its recently redeveloped world-class facilities provide the perfect training environment for the University’s sports scholars – many of whom compete at the highest level, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games – and for students, staff, and the wider community.
As a signatory to the £214 million Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, the University is driving productivity and inclusive growth across the Forth Valley, and beyond. Through pioneering collaborative solutions to global challenges, researchers are putting innovation, skills, and partnership at the heart of a sustainable economic recovery.
www.stir.ac.uk @stiruni
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