Research Assistant Information for Candidates Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at UCL CONTENTS Job Description………………………………………………………………………….……………………………3 About the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre .............................................................................................. 3 Background, Mission and Research Environment ............................................................................. 3 Sainsbury Wellcome Centre Scientific and Administrative Support ................................................... 4 About the Branco Laboratory ............................................................................................................ 4 The Role of Research Assistant ........................................................................................................ 4 Main Duties and Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 5 Selection Criteria ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Contact Us .................................................................................................................................................. 7 How to Apply .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Terms of Appointment ............................................................................................................................... 8 Our Funding Partners ................................................................................................................................. 9 The Neuroscience Environment at UCL .................................................................................................. 11 Page 2 of 12 JOB DESCRIPTION Vacancy Reference: 1876253 Job Title: Research Assistant Department: Sainsbury Wellcome Centre Salary: £31,542- £ 33,257 per annum inclusive of London Allowance. Grade: 6 Hours: 36.5 per week (full-time, 1.00 FTE) Reports to: Dr Yaara Lefler About the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre SWC is most closely linked with the Faculties of Brain Science and Life Sciences, and is aligned The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) brings administratively with Life Sciences. The Faculty of together world-leading scientists to investigate Life Sciences leadership team works closely with how brain circuits process information to generate the SWC leadership to support and enable their perception, form memories and guide behaviour. mission and facilitate research excellence. Developed through the vision and partnership of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and Wellcome, Further details about UCL can be found at and with substantial investment from these www.ucl.ac.uk. partners, the mission of the SWC is to generate experimentally testable theories of brain function. Background, Mission and Research Environment The Centre comprises 12 highly interdisciplinary experimental research groups accommodated in Neuroscience is entering a new and exciting a new, purpose-designed building, offering an period in which it will be possible to decipher the outstanding and unparalleled research neural codes underlying perception, cognition and environment. SWC scientists use a broad action. The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for spectrum of the latest advances in molecular and Neural Circuits and Behaviour is positioned at the cellular biology, imaging, electrophysiology and heart of this development behavioural techniques and enjoy state-of-the-art research laboratories, cutting-edge scientific The Centre, located within University College equipment, technologically-advanced prototyping London (UCL) and close to its main campus in and fabrication laboratories and custom in-house central London, fosters a culture of bold, high-performance computing facilities. innovative research and collaboration. Experimental groups benefit from interaction with Further details about the Sainsbury Wellcome the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit Centre can be found at located within the Centre, facilitating www.sainsburywellcome.org. collaborations in data analysis, computational modelling and theory. SWC is part of the UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences (SLMS). SLMS brings together SWC staff interface closely with academic staff four UCL Faculties to create one of the largest within the Faculties of Life Sciences and Brain and most prestigious aggregations of academics Sciences and are part of the UCL Neuroscience in biomedical, life and population health sciences Domain which brings together over 450 principal worldwide. The School has a global reputation for investigators and offers extensive opportunities teaching, informed by cutting-edge research. A for interaction and collaboration. The Centre full profile of the School can be found at: offers additional opportunities for collaboration, www.ucl.ac.uk/school-life-medical- networking and intellectual stimulation through its sciences/about-ucl-school-life-and-medical- visitor programme, regular seminar series and the sciences. Page 3 of 12 JOB DESCRIPTION hosting of world-class scientific conferences and workshops. About the Branco Laboratory and the The Centre provides extensive conceptual and project you will be involved in methodological bridges between areas of existing neuroscience strength at UCL, from which it The Branco lab study the mechanisms by which directly benefits. Existing work at UCL is closely neurons integrate sensory information to generate interwoven via the cross-cutting themes of behaviour that promote survival. The lab uses development, behaviour and plasticity, and with various innovative techniques including behaviour, the creation and use of transgenic models. A neural recordings and imaging, optogenetics, strong culture of close interaction between anatomy, computer science and theoretical experimental and theoretical approaches is a neuroscience. thread running through the Centre, tying together complex phenomena at different levels of When faced with imminent threats, choosing the description, by linking informational and correct behaviour at the right time is crucial for computational concepts to their circuit and cellular survival. Animals have to constantly process counterparts, all in relation to model behaviours. information from the environment, and correctly identify not only potentially harmful situations, but Further details about the Sainsbury Wellcome also the defensive response most likely to Centre can be found at succeed, for example, escape or freeze. In this www.sainsburywellcome.org. project, we investigate how the brain implements defensive behavioural choices using Further details about UCL can be found at electrophysiological recording from neurons in the www.ucl.ac.uk. mouse midbrain. To this end we developed a behavioural paradigm for awake head-restrained Sainsbury Wellcome Centre Scientific and mice, using a floating arena, in which animals can Administrative Support navigate between a shelter and a threat zone, where sensory stimuli mimicking approaching The Centre and its staff are provided with predators are presented. When facing one of these significant administrative, technical and scientific threatening signals, such as looming dark support. There are dedicated managers for the shadows, mice choose between escape and Centre’s scientific support services, including for freezing, depending on the parameters of the its state-of-the-art prototype and fabrication sensory stimuli and of the environment. laboratories, animal facilities and high-end computing facilities, and on-site managers We use whole-cell patch clamp technique for responsible for the building, its maintenance, intracellular recordings, single unit recordings with facilities and services. high-density Neuropixels probes, as well as optogenetic and chemogenetic stimulations and Work Environment anatomical tracing. The SWC offers staff an award-winning work The post is part of a Royal Society Dorothy environment in the heart of Fitzrovia with an on- Hodgkin Fellowship led by Dr. Yaara Lefler. site brasserie, access to lockers and changing facilities, secure bicycle storage, and access to The Role of Research Assistant pleasant outdoor spaces. The Centre also offers the full range of UCL staff benefits, including a We are looking for a Research Assistant to run generous annual leave entitlement, occupational training and behavioural experiments in head- pension schemes, excellent family-friendly fixed mice. You will work closely within a team policies such as occupational shared parental and be responsible for the handling and care of pay, a work-life balance policy, and a range of rodents (supported by the SWC’s Neurobiological financial benefits such as a season ticket loan Research Facility). You will be responsible to scheme and staff discounts. Further information perform training and behavioural experiments, can be found online: assist with data analysis and with surgical and https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/pay-and- histological procedures and will be able to take staff-benefits. Page 4 of 12 JOB DESCRIPTION part in neural recording/optogenetic experiments, Adhere to good laboratory practice at all and help to gather and collate data. times and observe all required health and safety procedures. Candidates should have prior experience of Observe all ethical and legal requirements working within a research laboratory