Research Associate in Autoantibody Discovery

Job description

Research Associate in Autoantibody Discovery

About The Role

The post holder will join the Serology Research Group to undertake specific projects related to developing and optimising immunoprecipitation directly coupled to mass spectrometry to identify autoantibodies in sera from patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The projects have been funded by research grants from charities SRUK and BIRD.

• Deciphering Seronegative Systemic Sclerosis: This project aims to identify autoantibodies in patients with the Rheumatic Disease Systemic sclerosis who have previously been found to be autoantibody negative utilising immunoprecipitation directly coupled to mass spectrometry.
• Does Immunoprecipitation coupled with high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry provide equivalent autoantibody diagnostic capabilities to conventional radio-immunopreciptation? This project aims to determine if immunoprecipitation directly coupled to mass spectrometry can identify known myositis and systemic sclerosis autoantibodies as effectively as protein radio-immunoprecipitation.
  
  

The Serology group have internationally recognised expertise in identifying autoantibodies in Rheumatic disease, particularly Myositis. This is an interdisciplinary project and you will work closely with health professionals and clinical scientists. The research group host PhD students and clinical fellows the role will include provision of some laboratory supervision and training, in addition to general laboratory management.

About You

The ideal candidate will have a detailed knowledge and previous experience of performing the laboratory techniques involved, (radioimmunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation and sample preparation for mass spectrometry analysis) including experience with mass spectrometry data analysis. They will have experience in presenting their research findings at conferences and in paper publications. You will hold a PhD in the relevant discipline.

Further information

For an informal discussion relating to this vacancy, please contact Sarah Tansley slt32@bath.ac.uk or, Neil McHugh prsnjm@bath.ac.uk

Interviews are to be carried out on either the 14th or 15th January 2026, the date will be finalised upon shortlisting.

As a member of Research Staff at the University of Bath, you will be encouraged to take up a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year

A lower grade offer may be made (Grade 6) with comparable reduction in responsibilities and amendment in job title to Research Assistant, if a suitable applicant cannot be found to fill the Grade 7 position. Applicants will need to be within six months of their course completion date and will be promoted to Research Associate once their PhD has been awarded.

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equality and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

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What We Can Offer You

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Free counselling services through Health Assured
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
• Staff discount on language courses
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
• Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• Local discounts and more
• A

  family-friendly workplace

• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce

• Relocation allowance

• Visa reimbursement

  and

  Interest-Free Loan

  to help with the cost of some immigration expenses
  
  

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Further Details

• Job Description & Person Specification

• Job Description & Person Specification
  
  

Terms and Conditions of Employment

Right to Work in the UK: We do not assess immigration or right to work status until offer stage. Being invited to interview does not guarantee you are eligible for visa sponsorship and all offers are conditional on meeting right to work requirements. Further information is available on our

application support webpage.

Anonymous shortlisting: We are constantly seeking to reduce the unconscious bias that enters any assessment process, with the goal of creating an inclusive and equal assessment process. To support this, personal details such as your name, may be removed from application forms at the initial shortlisting stage.

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Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Bath

Type of Contract

Casual / Part Time Jobs

Published at

18-12-2025

Profession type

Teaching / Instructors / Guides

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English