The University of Edinburgh
Research Assistant
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Job Description
Grade UE06: £34,610 to £39,906 per annum
Institute of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research, CCBS
Full time: 35 hours per week
Fixed term: until 30th June 2028
The Opportunity
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Research Assistant in Psychiatry. The post-holder will assist in the running of an international research study which builds on a previous study of sleep in children with SYNGAP1-related disorder, a condition associated with intellectual disability, epilepsy, and significant sleep problems. This new study will use multiple types of sleep monitoring equipment to evaluate equipment feasibility and reliability of data.
Together we can do great things. Be part of something bigger.
With roles from hospitality to research, there’s a career for everyone at the University of Edinburgh. We can offer opportunities for you to develop in your career and make a real difference in the communities around us while contributing to the world at large.
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We are a large University covering a wide range of activities. In Professional Services, we support the University’s research and teaching, offering many career and role specialisms.
The post would be suitable for a candidate with a degree in psychology, psychiatry, or a related discipline who has previous experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. Previous work with the SYNGAP1 community would be particularly valuable. The principal role of the post holder will be to remotely support equipment setup and data collection which will be done by families in their own homes. This will include being available in the evening to troubleshoot any technical difficulties. Other tasks will include managing the logistics of the study such as contacting interested parties, providing study information, and organising couriering of equipment to and from participants.
The environment in which the position is based offers outstanding opportunities for research and career development. The post is part of the Clinically Applied Research in Intellectual Disability (CARID) group affiliated with the Patrick Wild Centre (PWC) and the Simons Institute for the Developing Brain (SIDB), both philanthropically funded centres investigating autism and intellectual disabilities. More broadly, state-of-the-art facilities for clinical, laboratory, and data science research exist across the University of Edinburgh campus including the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, the Clinical Research Imaging Centre, the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, the Usher Institute, and the MRC Human Genetics Unit.
People have always been at the heart of our work. Our people are at the centre of the University community and everything we do. We value colleagues with drive, determination, and a passion for what they do. We are a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you in building the right meaningful flexibility that works for you.
A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle:
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- Contributing to leading-edge research – SYNGAP1-related disorder is rare and relatively understudied. Its related sleep problems are poorly understood and this study will therefore add to the relevant literature through detailed characterisation of sleep in this group.
- Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is a core part of our working ethos and will be a great opportunity for the successful candidate to make links with the global SYNGAP1 community.
- Opportunities for publication in academic journals.
Further details are available in the job description, including the person specification and an outline of the expected roles of the post. Prospective candidates wishing to discuss the appointment should, in the first instance, contact: Dr Lindsay Mizen, lmizen@ed.ac.uk.
This post is full time, however, flexible working patterns will be needed to meet the requirements of the post. Hybrid working will be possible to include remote and on-campus responsibilities.
This role is conditional on a successful PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) check.
How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging, and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
On this occasion, the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 9 October 2026.
Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK, the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browser's local time zone.
Interviews will be held late October.
About Us
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030, we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research, and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
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About The Team
School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences
We host research and postgraduate training in neuroscience, cardiovascular, metabolic, and psychiatric research. We are one of six schools in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and are home to the Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research.
Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research
Our institute fosters collaborative neuroscience, cardiovascular, metabolic, and psychiatric research to tackle some of the world's most significant health challenges.
Our research explores health and disease across the body and life course – from tiny changes in cells to the lived experience of patients. Together, we work to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of major health conditions including heart disease, stroke, metabolic dysfunction, mental illness, dementia, and neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Empowered by genetics, advanced imaging, artificial intelligence, and clinical trials, our research seamlessly connects discovery science with clinical care.
Our work is internationally acclaimed, achieving 4* and world-leading classifications for the majority of our research, health and wealth impacts, and research papers in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 assessment, the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
As part of driving progress in our core research areas, we host internationally leading research centres and state-of-the-art technologies:
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic
- British Heart Foundation (BHF) Centre of Research Excellence
- Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention | CPSP
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research
- Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility
- Edinburgh Imaging
- Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory
- Medical Research Council/British Hearth Foundation Centre of Research Excellence in Advanced Cardiac Therapies
- MS Society Edinburgh Centre for MS Research | MS Society
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre
- Patrick Wild Centre
- Row Fogo Centre for Research into Ageing and the Brain
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB)
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh
- UKRI Hub for Metabolic Psychiatry
Our institute community
Our researchers drive cutting-edge science, enabling our students and working hand in hand with our expert technical and professional services colleagues. We are committed to creating a collaborative, inclusive, and welcoming community, where everyone feels supported, empowered, and inspired to achieve their best.
Training and education
We offer a wide range of postgraduate training opportunities. Students learn from world-class researchers, access outstanding facilities, and get support to develop. Our graduates go on to successful careers in academia, research, healthcare, and industry worldwide. Our colleagues are also leading contributors to undergraduate programmes.
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