Role:  Research Associate in Lateral Flow Diagnostics

Department: School of Engineering

Grade: 6/7 (£33,020 - £38,805 per annum)

Responsible to: Principal Investigator

Campus: Belfast

Fixed-Term until 31st October 2027 / Full-time 

Job Purpose:

The postholder will contribute to a Cancer Research UK-funded research project focused on the development of novel point-of-care diagnostic technologies for the early detection and risk stratification of cervical precancer and cancer. The role will involve the design, development and optimisation of advanced bioassay and lateral flow-based diagnostic platforms capable of detecting clinically relevant molecular biomarkers in minimally invasive biological samples.

The Research Associate will undertake laboratory-based experimental research spanning assay development, biosensor optimisation, biomarker detection, sample preparation, analytical validation and evaluation using clinically relevant specimens.

Working within a multidisciplinary research environment, the post holder will be involved in engineering, biosensing, molecular diagnostics and clinical collaborators, and will contribute to the generation of high-quality research outputs, including peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and project reports. A key focus of the role will be to support the translation of laboratory-based diagnostic concepts towards practical, rapid and user-friendly testing approaches for early disease detection.

The successful candidate will be expected to work independently within the overall project framework, contribute intellectually to experimental design and optimisation, and work collaboratively with academic and clinical partners to achieve the objectives and milestones of the funded programme.

This position is funded by Cancer Research UK.

Closing Date: 6th October 2026 at 23.30

Guidance regarding applications can be found here:  https://recruitment.ulster.ac.uk/information-for-applicants/what-to-expect-from-the-application-and-interview-process. If you are still having issues, please contact Suzanne McFarlane on sj.mcfarlane@ulster.ac.uk stating the vacancy reference number.

Click on the links below for any relevant documents – Please note, these documents will not be available after the job advert closes. Please ensure that you download and save these.

Candidate Briefing Document - 043746 

Salary Scale

Please be advised that due to the minimum salary thresholds imposed by the UKVI, this post will not qualify for university sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please check your options here:  https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

If you have any specific queries regarding eligibility to work in the UK, the Resourcing Compliance team may be able to assist: Resourcing-compliance@ulster.ac.uk

Please note that Ulster University does not currently offer reimbursement for any costs associated with visa applications, including the Immigration Health Surcharge.

If you have any specific queries regarding this post, please contact the named email address for the vacancy, as listed on the main current vacancies landing page.

We may create a 12-month waiting list for same or similar roles within the Department / Faculty.  The University reserves the right to extend the waiting list across the University if required for certain posts.

Ulster University recognises the potential benefits that Generative AI tools (for example Chat GPT) may bring to some candidates during the application process. In particular, we recognise the positive impact such tools may have with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion. When using AI, however, we encourage candidates to use the technology responsibly, ensuring that submitted applications provide an accurate representation of your skills, abilities and experience. Our selection activities are designed to robustly test and evaluate the extent to which candidates meet the selection criteria outlined for each role. This includes the use of interviews, presentations, written exercises and other additional selection activities as appropriate for each role.

The School of Engineering holds a Silver Athena SWAN Award in recognition of our commitment to advancing Gender equality in higher education. You can read more about what this means at https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/equality-charters/transformed-uk-athena-swan-charter and on our University website https://www.ulster.ac.uk/peopleandculture/employee-benefits/equality-diversity/athena-swan. The University has a range of initiatives to support a family friendly working environment, including flexible working.