Research Fellow

 

Grade UE07: £41,064 to £48,822 per annum

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine/School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences/Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research/UK Dementia Research Institute

Full-time: 35 hours per week

Fixed-term contract:  for 3 years

 

 

Where discovery never stops. Be part of something bigger. 

Join the University of Edinburgh and you’ll be making a difference to everything around you. Be part of something bigger — where you’ll do meaningful work, grow and progress, be rewarded and recognised, and benefit from our strong commitment to your wellbeing. There are so many reasons to join us. 

 

The Opportunity:

We are looking for an enthusiastic postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Rajani Lab as part of the new national BHF-UK DRI Centre for Vascular Dementia Research. We use a range of innovative methodologies and models to understand oligodendrocyte changes in vascular and Alzheimer’s dementias, and the interaction of these with other cell types. In this project, funded as part of the UK DRI’s Key Questions programme, the Research Fellow will use iPSC-derived oligodendrocytes to understand the role of genes identified as being epigenetically altered in Alzheimer’s disease and ageing. The Research Fellow will further investigate how these affect oligodendrocyte interactions with neurons and microglia.

 

Your skills and attributes for success:

• A PhD (or close to completion) in neuroscience or other relevant discipline.
• Experience with glial and/or neuronal cell cultures.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proactive and creative independent thinker.
• Ability to problem-solve and troubleshoot technical difficulties.

 

This post is full-time (35 hours per week) and 100% on campus.

 

View the full job description [https://uoe.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/jobdescriptionlibrary/IQDKLkuJck4kQq1Kz6QALjl2AR21YeDsc57eqzJz6fV8DcI]

 

How to apply

 Please include the following documents in your application:

• CV

• Cover letter

Informal enquiries are welcomed and can be addressed to Dr Rikesh Rajani (rikesh.rajani@ed.ac.uk [rikesh.rajani@ed.ac.uk]) 

 

People have always been at the heart of our work. As part of the University, you are a part of our community. We are looking for people 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/personalised flexibility for you.

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle: 

• Leading-edge research
• Working in one of the world’s leading universities
• Excellent benefits and support

 

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 [https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/pay-reward/staff-benefits] 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 Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT 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 [https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/demonstrating-rtw].

 

The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant. 

 

Key dates to note

 

The closing date for applications is 19th May 2026.

Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm (UK time). If you are applying from outside the UK, the closing time shown on our adverts will automatically adjust to your browser’s local time zone.

Interviews will be held within 4 weeks of the closing date.

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. 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.