"Principal Research Fellow"

About us

The mission of the Research Department of Epilepsy (DoE) 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.

Based within the Department, the Sisodiya group focuses on understanding complex epilepsies from a multimodal approach, focusing on clinical phenotyping, genomics, imaging and other approaches, with a view to translational impact. The group also works on climate change impacts on neurological disorders, especially epilepsy.

About the role

We are seeking a Principal Research Fellow to lead work on the genomics of epilepsy within a wider programme of translational research, including genomics and climate change, under the supervision of Professor Sanjay Sisodiya.

You will oversee a team of analysts and provide strategic bioinformatics support across multidisciplinary projects. The role involves analysing clinical and genomic data from well-characterised epilepsy cohorts, with a focus on clinical application, in collaboration with national and international partners including Genomics England, UK Biobank, Epi25, and ENIGMA-Epilepsy.

The role is available immediately and is funded by Epilepsy Society until 31 May 2028 in the first instance with the possibility of extension.

For a full job description please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal and search using vacancy reference B02-09467. 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.

About you

You will hold a PhD in Genetics, Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Computer Science, or a closely related discipline, with a strong track record in computational genomics and next-generation sequencing analysis. You will have extensive experience in bioinformatics research, demonstrated through high-impact publications, successful grant funding, and leadership of junior analysts or computational staff.

Expertise in Linux environments, scripting/programming (e.g., Bash, Python, R), and genomic analysis pipelines is essential, along with hands-on experience working with large datasets and public repositories such as Genomics England, UK Biobank, and gnomAD.

You will be a collaborative and effective leader, with a strong problem-solving mindset, excellent interpersonal skills, and a demonstrable ability to work across multidisciplinary teams. A meticulous approach to data integration, commitment to high research standards, and willingness to continue learning are key to success in this role.

What we offer

Starting salary offered in the range £68,284 - £74,166 per annum inclusive of London Allowance.

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.

Customer advert reference: B02-09467