Senior Research Assistant reference: 0163-25

About the University of Sunderland 

The University of Sunderland offers life-changing opportunities for 27,500 students across its campuses in Sunderland, London, Hong Kong, and through global partnerships with learning institutions in 19 countries. We're proud to be a top 50 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2024), with top-quality facilities, inclusive culture, and our vibrant, ever-changing city.

The University of Sunderland is in an exciting phase of its development with a new vision and redefined strategic ambitions designed to take advantage of the ever-changing higher education landscape at home and overseas.

The University of Sunderland has undergone significant expansion thanks to a major step-change in the University’s ambitions, building on the £75 million already invested on facilities in the last five years.  Indeed, the University is expected to invest a further £250 million over the next 10 years to transform facilities for students and staff underscoring a bold and ambitious outlook.

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results, University of Sunderland doubled its proportion of world-leading (4 star) or internationally excellent (3 star) rated research since its 2014 submissions. 89% of the published research was rated as ‘internationally excellent’ in the Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy category demonstrating continued growth and development in research.

About the role

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an early career scientist to join a dynamic, multidisciplinary drug discovery team focused on developing prodrugs for the treatment of rare kidney disease within the John Dawson Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute. You will play a central role in planning and conducting laboratory-based experiments (organic synthesis, purification, and chemical analysis) as well as evaluating, analysing and interpreting data for dissemination purposes. There may also be an opportunity to support biological evaluation studies (biochemical and cell-based assays).

You will be embedded as a research staff in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, which is part of Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing that has recently established a £5 million Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute located at the City Campus.

The Senior Research Assistant position is available for 12 months commencing from the 1st September 2025.

What you can bring 

The ideal candidate will join the medicinal chemistry research team, led by Dr Stephanie Myers.   Her group is primarily focused on identifying and developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases.

You will be expected to have experience of working in a synthetic organic chemistry laboratory environment and have demonstrated the ability to communicate well, work effectively within a team and maintain good laboratory records.  Willingness to work flexibly and under pressure to achieve project goals is also essential.

This project integrates synthesis and chemical characterisation of target compounds with biological evaluation studies to assess their suitability as therapeutic agents. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and be expected to communicate findings effectively with the wider research team and collaborators.

What we can offer you 

Our University is not just a place of academic excellence, but also a community that embraces inclusivity and support. We value our staff and offer a rewarding package that goes beyond just salary. At the University of Sunderland, we prioritise not only your professional growth but also your happiness and well-being.

Enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement of 31 days, along with an additional 5 closure days over the Christmas break and 8 Bank Holidays.Enrolment into our pension scheme, ensuring your financial security for the future.Access to our “My Lifestyle Benefits Platform”, where you can enjoy online discounts at hundreds of retailers every day. Plus, take advantage of exclusive schemes that allow you to purchase a new car, bike, or technology at a discounted rate.Your health and well-being are important to us. That's why we provide access to discounted private medical insurance, health cash plans, and guidance on financial well-being.Maintaining an active lifestyle is made easy with discounted membership for CitySpace Fitness, our state-of-the-art facility for sports and social activities.

Equality, diversity & inclusion 

We strongly believe that an inclusive university, where a diverse range of individuals feel valued and have equal opportunity to get into work and reach their potential, is good for our staff, students, university, and society.

Our work on equality, diversity and inclusivity has never been more important. We believe inclusivity is an essential value at the heart of what we do, and we want all our staff to be part of that journey with us.

Our recent staff survey conducted in 2023 showed that 97% of our staff believed that we were committed to achieving an inclusive university.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 8th June (23.59 GMT).

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Stephanie Myers, email stephanie.myers@sunderland.ac.uk

Please apply through the University online platform.  Note that you will be asked to upload a CV as part of the application process.

Closing Date: 08 Jun 2025

Team: Research

Salary: £31,168 to £36,040