Research Assistant (Viral Glycoproteins Group)

The post-holder will be a pivotal member of an international research team funded by an award from the Innovate UK SBRI Vaccines for Global Epidemics – Clinical competition. The project titled ‘A Nipah vaccine to eliminate porcine reservoirs and safeguard human health’ will develop an inexpensive, safe and efficacious vaccine for use in pigs to protect against Nipah virus (NiV) infection and transmission thereby reducing the risk to public health. The vaccine will also reduce the major risk NiV poses to both the nascent developing pig industries, as well as to the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers in low and middle income countries. The vaccine will enable the discrimination of infection in vaccinated animals and therefore provide an important new tool to aid the monitoring, control and elimination of NiV from these reservoirs in South and Southeast Asia. The project will also provide a solid basis for the further evaluation of the vaccine for protection of humans against NiV infection.

Main duties and responsibility

Responsible for examining the immune response to candidate NiV vaccines during immunogenicity trials in pigs, which will include:

• Collecting research data; focusing on the following aims:
  • A head-to-head comparison of the immunogenicity of recombinant NiV vaccine candidates, with a particular focus on the antibody response.
  • Assessment of immunisation regime on the magnitude and duration of the antibody response, including neutralising antibodies.
• Analyse and interpret data as well as contributing to the development of new models, techniques and methods
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Decide in consultation with the principal investigator on the most appropriate way of undertaking the specified research activities and how to analyse and interpret the data from the specified research activities

Responsible for lab management and administration as well as research dissemination, communication and networking:

• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Liaise with external collaborators on the research,
• Communicating progress and data, including presentations at internal and external meetings and preparing manuscripts for publication.

This job description is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The jobholder will carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by his/her line manager. The job description and personal specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Human Resources department and The Pirbright Institute.

All employees shall actively participate in the Institute-wide quality assurance system in conjunction with the Institute’s Quality Manager. Employees are also expected to safeguard their own health and safety and security by following policies and all employees are responsible for the Health and Safety and security of staff under their management.

For more details, specific requirements and application information, please visit the job description on Pirbright Institute's careers website.