In the Baden lab, we aim to understand how the retina and the brain process visual information in relation to the ecology of different animals. As a Research Assistant, you will contribute to understanding how interpretation of the visual scene can be reprogrammed, using frog metamorphosis as a model system. Specifically, you will characterise behavioural changes during development by tracking freely moving animals and map underlying visual circuits using transgenics, tracings, and microscopy. You will also assist in maintaining the animal colony, as well as designing plasmids and generating transgenic animals. You will have the opportunity to analyse and present your findings within a dynamic and collaborative research environment.

We are seeking a candidate with an undergraduate degree in a or a relevant scientific discipline, and ideally, some prior experience with coding (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or R). You should also have experience conducting scientific experiments with precision and attention to detail, or a strong motivation to develop these skills. You will be able to work effectively as part of a team, communicate your findings and ideas clearly, and contribute to regular progress meetings and reports. You should also be capable of managing your own workload and demonstrating initiative in progressing your project, as well as overcoming challenges as they arise. This position is ideal for applicants wanting to gain research experience before applying to Neuroscience graduate programs.

Please ensure you include a CV with your application.

In the School of Life Sciences we strive to understand the mechanisms that drive biological and chemical processes and to develop innovative and diverse approaches to enhance human health, technology and the environment. We undertake multidisciplinary research, teaching and engagement across a wide range of subjects, from Chemistry through Cellular and Molecular Biosciences to Conservation Biology.

The School comprises five Departments: Biochemistry & Biomedicine, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, Neuroscience, Ecology & Evolution and Chemistry. We also house the Sussex Drug Discovery Centre which works to deliver the bench-to-bedside translation of our discoveries. The breadth and depth of our cutting-edge research and innovative teaching practice is delivered by a diverse community who work across boundaries to deliver excellence, engage with real world problems and produce impact.

We pride ourselves on our world-leading research and have a strong research economy, with approximately 50% of our income stemming from research and an active grant portfolio of over £50 million. We host or form part of three University Centres of Excellence: the Genome Damage and Stability Centre, Sussex Neuroscience and Sussex Sustainability Research Programme. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, 90.6 % of our Biological Sciences outputs and 84.8% of our Chemistry outputs were rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. We are proud that in both areas, 100% of our Impact cases were rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.

The School is committed to the University’s core values of kindness, integrity, inclusion, collaboration and courage. We believe that equality, diversity and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and aim to provide a friendly and supportive environment for all who work, study and visit the School of Life Sciences.

The School of Life Sciences is proud to hold a Silver Athena Swan Award.

Our university is situated off the A27, next to the beautiful South Downs where you will enjoy everything that our 150-acre campus has to offer. We are accessible by public transport; Falmer train station is a five-minute walk to campus and several bus stops are located within campus. We also have dedicated cycling paths and encourage our staff to use these with our offering of a cycle to work scheme.

Sussex is a renowned, multi-accredited, research-led International University and this is only possible because of the people that work here. Whether you are a member of Faculty, part of a Professional Services team or a Student, it’s our people that make us great and we want you to be part of that.

Find out about our equality, diversity and inclusion

Please contact Michael Forsthofer (Michael.forsthofer@sussex.ac.uk) for informal enquiries.

The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. The assigned SOC code is 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified and the going rate is £41,500. Eligibility for sponsorship will depend on whether a candidate can make use of tradeable points to meet the salary offered and whether the candidate holds an existing Skilled Worker sponsorship which began before 4 April 2024.

The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed in the UK.

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