Research Associate (Assay Development and Screening Scientist)

The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute (ADDI), part of the University of Cambridge Department of Clinical Neuroscience (cambridge-ddi.alzheimersresearchuk.org), is seeking a Research Associate with a strong background in assay development and screening to join its established team. The ADDI is part of a network of world-class Drug Discovery Institutes, funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, forming the Alzheimer's Research UK Drug Discovery Alliance. The work of the ADDI at Cambridge is aimed at validating new drug targets and identifying potential new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease as well as other types of neurodegenerative diseases.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience in assay development and the mechanistic validation of biological targets. You will have experience in the development of automated, plate-based screening assays and will be expected to develop and execute a variety of biochemical and cell-based assays, aimed at screening for hits, determining structure-activity relationships and supporting the elucidation of the mechanism of action of active compounds. You will collaborate closely with colleagues in the cell molecular biology, in vivo and chemistry teams, to progress projects from target validation through to in vivo proof-of-concept models.

We are looking for someone with an enthusiastic and proactive mindset, strong troubleshooting skills, and an aptitude for data analysis. Applicants will be expected to be organised, self-motivated, flexible when required, eager to identify and implement improvements to protocols and study design, and to be a team player. Time management and record-keeping skills, and interpersonal and communication skills are also expected. This is an exciting opportunity to join a cutting-edge drug discovery team focused on tackling diseases that cause dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Closing date: Apr 28th 2026

For questions relating to the post, please contact Dr Andrew Lim at astl3@cam.ac.uk

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 30 April 2029 in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a standard Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Applicants must have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 £34,610) moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of your PhD award.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Please quote reference RR49405 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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Key information

Department/location

Department of Clinical Neurosciences

Salary

£37,694-£46,049

Reference

RR49405

Category

Research

Date published

14 April 2026

Closing date

28 April 2026

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