Research Technician

Newcastle University; Telford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading UK research university in Telford is seeking a Research Technician for a BBSRC-funded project in invertebrate biomonitoring. You will extract and analyze DNA from samples, contributing to the development of innovative technologies. The ideal candidate will have expertise in invertebrate taxonomy and molecular ecology. This part-time role offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits in a supportive environment focused on inclusion and diversity.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Great pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Trained invertebrate taxonomy skills.
• Proven track record of invertebrate DNA metabarcoding, sequencing, and bioinformatics processing for identification purposes.
• Proven ability to write and publish reports/papers to high standards.
• Experience of community data processing, analysis and database management.
• Knowledge of agricultural entomology, ecosystem services and nationwide biomonitoring.

Responsibilities

• Extract DNA from insect bulk samples using advanced metabarcoding techniques.
• Process invertebrate DNA sequence data using bioinformatics pipelines.
• Contribute ideas and suggestions to the DETAIL workflow.
• Assist in the preparation and writing of reports and manuscripts.

Skills

Invertebrate taxonomy skills

DNA metabarcoding

Bioinformatics processing

Analytical skills

Science communication

Education

PhD in biology/ecology/conservation biology

Tools

Advanced metabarcoding techniques

DNA sequencing

Job description

Overview

As part of the BBSRC-funded Transformative Research Technologies (24TRT) DETAIL project, we are pursuing early-stage development of cutting-edge invertebrate biomonitoring technologies with transformative potential for nationwide surveillance. In collaboration with partners from Lancaster University, the Natural History Museum, London and Fera we are creating an analytical pipeline that integrates high-throughput DNA sequencing with automated image analysis of invertebrates to accelerate the development of labelled training libraries, with a focus on agricultural entomology. This has the potential to revolutionise biodiversity biomonitoring and the surveillance of pest species. We require a Research Technician to support the work of Prof. Darren Evans (leader of the Network Ecology Group) in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) to undertake DNA metabarcoding of bulk samples to validate mock invertebrate community identification after undergoing automated image analyses. This is a key component of the “High-Throughput Molecular Labelling to Train Image Classifiers” project and requires bespoke data management and bioinformatics approaches. The Technician will have access to state-of-the-art equipment in the SNES Molecular Diagnostics Facility. With a proven track record in entomology and molecular ecology, relevant invertebrate handling and identification skills, and experience of scientific publishing, the Research Technician will play an integral role as part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes data and AI scientists, experimental biologists, ecologists and agricultural entomologists working on real-world invertebrate biomonitoring schemes, with a working knowledge of agricultural entomology and biomonitoring in a contemporary policy context.

Responsibilities

• Extracting DNA from insect bulk samples using advanced metabarcoding techniques and preparing libraries for sequencing using the Newcastle Core Genomics Facility.
• Extracting, demultiplexing and processing invertebrate DNA sequence data using appropriate bioinformatics pipelines.
• Formatting sequencing data for molecular labelling to train image classifiers.
• Contributing ideas and suggestions to the DETAIL workflow, including problem solving.
• Assisting in the preparation and writing of reports and manuscripts as part of the project tasks and milestones.

Qualifications and Experience

• Trained invertebrate taxonomy skills.
• Proven track record of invertebrate DNA metabarcoding, sequencing, and bioinformatics processing for identification purposes.
• Proven ability to write and publish reports/papers to high standards.
• Experience of community data processing, analysis and database management.
• Working towards or nearing completion of a PhD in biology/ecology/conservation biology.
• Knowledge of agricultural entomology, ecosystem services and nationwide biomonitoring and surveillance schemes.
• Experience of working with diverse groups combining data science, AI with molecular ecology to develop new biomonitoring technologies.
• Good analytical skills and ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Experience of scientific publishing processes; good laboratory practices, SOPs and Health and Safety.
• Experience in science communication and public engagement.

Attributes and Behaviour

• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems; use initiative to analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on outcomes.
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, including developing internal and external contacts with researchers in related study areas.
• Maintain academic standards and freedom, and work in accordance with university policies (e.g. equal opportunities, health and safety).
• A commitment to Open Science.

Salary and Terms

Salary: £35,608.00 - £37,694.00 per annum. Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits, a generous holiday package (with option to buy more), great pension schemes and health and wellbeing initiatives. This is a fixed-term appointment (18 months) starting 1 December 2025 (Spine point 24: £33,002 pro rata) on a part-time basis.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all. We are committed to being an inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our teams. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and support equality and diversity initiatives including Athena Swan, the Race Equality Charter, and Disability Confident status. We are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.