Research Assistant

University of Glasgow; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in Glasgow is seeking a Research Associate to contribute to research investigating neuroimmune modulation through Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in patients with psoriatic arthritis. The role involves conducting experiments, participant management, data collection and analysis, along with teaching responsibilities. Ideal candidates will have an honours degree in a relevant field or a related PhD, with strong communication and research skills. This position offers a competitive salary and a supportive work environment.

Benefits

41 days of leave for full-time staff

Flexible working approach

Free UofG Sport membership for new staff

Qualifications

• Scottish Credit and Qualification level 10 or equivalent required.
• Foundational understanding of TMS necessary.
• Experience conducting research following ethical protocols and SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research using TMS according to protocols.
• Support participant recruitment and data collection.
• Document research outputs and maintain compliance.

Skills

Familiarity with TMS procedures

Excellent communication skills

Research creativity

Excellent interpersonal skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Honours degree in Neuroscience or related field

PhD in Neuroscience or related subject

Tools

Statistical software (e.g., SPSS, MATLAB)

Job description

Job details

Posted 21 November 2025
Salary Grade 6 £33,951- £37,694 per annum
Location Glasgow
Job Type Research and Teaching
Reference 186373
Expiry 05 December 2025 at 23:45

Job Purpose

You will contribute to a research project investigating neuroimmune modulation via Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). You will work under the supervision of Dr Sunzini [Principal Investigator] at the School of Infection & Immunity, University of Glasgow.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct assigned research individually or jointly in accordance with the project deliverables and project/group/School/College research strategy. This may include but is not limited to:
• Delivering both active and control TMS interventions using standardised research protocols[KB1] over a 4-week treatment schedule.
• Setting up, calibrating, and operating TMS equipment in accordance with safety guidelines and study‑specific procedures.
• Supporting participants recruitment, screening, obtaining informed consent, and conducting follow‑up in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and ethical research standards.
• Scheduling and coordinating participant visits, including baseline and follow‑up assessments, ensuring smooth clinical and research workflow.
• Assisting in the collection, secure storage (GDPR‑compliant), and preliminary analysis of clinical, neurobiological, and TMS‑related data.
• Participating in mandatory training sessions and ensuring full compliance with GCP, ethical guidelines, and study‑specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Assisting with MRI‑based neuronavigation.
• Maintaining detailed and accurate research documentation, contributing to study progress reports, and assisting with data visualisation, interpretation, and preparation of manuscript for publication.
• Collaborating closely with the multidisciplinary research team, including immunologists, health care professionals, and technical staff, to ensure cohesive and high‑quality project delivery.
• Engaging in professional development activities and contributing to fostering a research culture committed to excellence, integrity, and continuous learning.
• Document research output including analysis and interpretation of all data, maintaining records and databases, drafting technical/progress reports and papers as appropriate.
• Develop and enhance your research profile and reputation and that of The University of Glasgow/School/Research Group, including contributing to publications of international quality in high profile/quality refereed publications, enhancing the research impact in terms of economic/societal benefit, and gathering indicators of esteem.
• Contribute to the presentation of work at international and national conferences, at internal and external seminars, colloquia and workshops to develop and enhance our research profile.
• Contribute to the identification of potential funding sources and to assist in the development of proposals to secure funding from internal and external bodies to support future research.
• Collaborate with colleagues and participate in team/ group/ meetings/ seminars/ workshops across the research Group/School/College/University and wider community.
• Contribute to the organisation, supervision, mentoring and training of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students and less experienced members of the project team to ensure their effective development.
• Perform administrative tasks related to the activities of the research group and School, including budgets/expenditure.
• Carry out modest Teaching activities (e.g. demonstrating etc) and associated admin as assigned by the Head of School and in consultation with Principal Investigator.
• Keep up to date with current knowledge and recent advances in the field/discipline.
• Engage in continuing professional development activities as appropriate.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Head of School/Director of Research Institute.
• Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University Strategy.

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

A1. Scottish Credit and Qualification level 10 (Honours degree or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Sciences, or other relevant subject.
A2. A foundational understanding of TMS, with practical and/or theoretical knowledge of its application in a research or clinical setting.
A3. Awareness of ethical research conduct, including data privacy, with practical and/or theoretical knowledge of GDPR compliance and responsible handling of participants data.

Desirable

B1. An awarded (or recently submitted or near completion) PhD in Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, or other relevant subject.

Skills

Essential

C1. Familiarity with TMS procedures and interest in further training, including GCP where applicable.
C2. Research creativity and cross‑discipline collaborative ability as appropriate.
C3. Excellent communication skills [oral and written], including public presentations and ability to communicate complex data/concepts clearly and concisely.
C4. Excellent interpersonal skills including team working and a collegiate approach, especially in research environment involving human participants.
C5. Appropriate workload/time/project/budget/people management skills.
C6. Extensive IT and data analysis/interpretation skills as appropriate.
C7. Self‑motivation, initiative and independent thought/working.
C8. Problem‑solving skills including a flexible and pragmatic approach.

Desirable

D1. Experience or interest in training others in immunology, neuroscience, or other related biomedical disciplines.
D2. Experience handling sensitive or clinical research data with confidentiality and discretion.
D3. Exposure to neuronavigational techniques, or willingness to develop skills in advanced TMS delivery.
D4. Familiarity with statistical or analytical software (e.g. SPSS, MATLAB, Python, R, etc.).
D5. Understanding of MRI setup and operations is desirable; formal training can be provided if necessary.

Experience

Essential

E1. Sufficient experience and/or depth of knowledge in research settings involving TMS, cognitive neuroscience, or related methods, demonstrated through relevant work experience.
E2. Experience in conducting research involving human participants and adhering to ethical protocols and SOPs.
E4. Experience in maintaining accurate research documentation and supporting data interpretation and reporting processes.
E5. Proven ability to deliver quality outputs in a timely and efficient manner.

Desirable

F1. Experience with clinical or interventional studies, especially in areas such as pain research, neuromodulation, or behavioural interventions.
F2. Prior involvement in interdisciplinary research combining neuroscience, immunology, or related biomedical sciences.
F3. Evidence of scientific writing skills, including contributions to reports, theses, or publications.
F4. Evidence of an emerging track record of high‑quality research publications in a relevant field, such as neuroscience, immunology.

Further Enquiries

Any further enquiries on this post may be directed to Dr Flavia Sunzini via email [e-mail]

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 6, £33,951 - £37,694 per annum.
This post is full time and fixed term for up to 12 months.
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
3 A flexible approach to working.
4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under‑represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.

Closing Date: 5 December 2025 at 23:45