Ref Number
B02-10962
Professional Expertise
Research and Research Support
Department
School of Life & Medical Sciences (B02)
Location
London
Working Pattern
Full time
Salary
£43,981-£52,586
Contract Type
Fixed-term
Working Type
On site
Available for Secondment
No
Closing Date
07-Aug-2026
The mission of the Department of Epilepsy is to transform the lives of people living with epilepsy for the better by identifying, understanding and correcting or preventing the underlying mechanisms leading to the epilepsies and associated comorbidities in each individual person. Our vision is to build upon the excellence and breadth of our research, seamlessly integrating basic and clinical science.
The role will be based in the Experimental Epilepsy Group; research within the Group spans across fundamental mechanisms of vesicle fusion and synaptic transmission, ion channel biology, experimental models of epilepsy, the function of neural circuits, neurological diseases modelled in rodents and flies, and advanced therapies for epilepsy and related disorders.
You will design and test novel molecular tools for controllable modulation of neuronal function. The project is funded by a grant from the Gatsby Initiative in Brain Development and Psychiatry, and will complement a programme of research aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of epilepsy and related disorders.
The post is available from September 2026 for two years or until 30 September 2028, whichever is earlier, in the first instance.
If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team ([email protected]).
Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Professor Dimitri Kullmann ([email protected]).
For a full job description please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs) and search using vacancy reference B02-10962. To apply, please upload a current CV, complete the online application form, and use the supporting statement section or upload a cover letter to outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please do not upload any additional attachments as these will not be considered by the selection panel.
You will have a PhD in neuropharmacology (or a related discipline) coupled with expertise in medicinal chemistry, protein engineering, synthetic biology, and directed evolution. You’ll also have expertise in BRET/FRET assays, chemogenetics, optogenetics, and/or electrophysiology, with structure-activity and AI-assisted molecular modelling, viral capsid engineering, and non-viral vectors.
This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.
Appointment as Research Fellow is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant (salary £39,148 - £41,833 per annum) with appointment as Research Fellow being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.
We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible.
This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/conditions-service-research-teaching-and-professional-services-staff for more information.
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on EDI initiatives; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/equality-diversity-inclusion for more information about what we’re doing. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.
