EPIC(GB) Translational Research Technician

Applications are invited for the post of Translational Research Technician to contribute to the delivery of the transformational EPICGB Programme – Early Phase Interventions Centre for Translation in Glioblastoma, a Yorkshire Cancer Research funded, multi‑centre, adaptive clinical trial platform. The position is based within Sheffield’s Translational Neuro‑Oncology Research Group (STraNO) in the School of Medicine and Population Health, with working partnerships across multiple UK centres and collaborations with industrial, charitable and academic partners.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage the acquisition, transfer, processing and biobanking of human tissue samples from EPICGB clinical sites, ensuring high‑quality, standardised workflows (SOPs) across the network.
• Establish, maintain and quality‑control clinically annotated biospecimen collections, supporting downstream pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD) and translational analyses.
• Develop, optimise and implement laboratory assays to assess pharmacodynamic biomarkers and drug effects in patient‑derived tissues and models.
• Maintain and perform experimental studies using patient‑derived cell and tissue models, including those from the Sheffield Living Biobank, to evaluate therapeutic response and support prioritisation of candidate drugs.
• Experimentally triage and validate candidate PD biomarkers, generating data to inform decision‑making within the EPICGB adaptive trial platform.
• Maintain accurate, detailed and auditable experimental records, including sample tracking, metadata annotation, and integration with clinical datasets where appropriate.
• Work collaboratively across a multi‑centre network, liaising with clinical teams, ICR‑CTSU, academic partners, and industry collaborators to ensure efficient sample and data flow.
• Contribute to the integration of laboratory findings with clinical trial data, supporting iterative learning between preclinical and clinical components of EPICGB.
• Prepare regular reports and present findings at group meetings and collaborative forums, contributing to programme‑wide discussions and decision‑making.
• Support the preparation of scientific outputs, including abstracts, reports and manuscripts, as part of a collaborative translational research programme.
• Contribute to the training and supervision of students and junior researchers, particularly in sample maintenance, laboratory techniques and best practices in translational research.
• Maintain compliance with relevant regulatory, ethical and biosafety standards, including human tissue governance and data management requirements.
• Undertake additional duties commensurate with the grade and evolving needs of the EPICGB programme.

Qualifications and Experience

• Strong practical experience in mammalian cell culture and handling of human tissue samples, including aseptic technique and basic molecular/cellular laboratory methods (e.g. immunostaining, protein/RNA analysis, viability assays).
• Experience of working with human biospecimens or biobanking workflows (e.g. tissue processing, storage, tracking, or annotation).
• Experience of performing laboratory experiments, with the ability to accurately record, manage and interpret experimental data.
• Ability to contribute to optimisation and troubleshooting of experimental protocols (e.g. assay development, adapting workflows).
• Knowledge of good laboratory practice, biosafety, and relevant regulatory/ethical frameworks (e.g. Human Tissue Act or equivalent).
• Strong organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage multiple samples, datasets and deadlines with high attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain accurate, auditable laboratory records and sample tracking systems.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• Degree in a relevant biological science (or equivalent experience).
• Appropriate IT skills, including Microsoft Office suite and GraphPad Prism (or equivalent).
• Experience with advanced patient‑derived models (e.g. organoids, tissue slice culture or other ex vivo systems) and/or pharmacodynamic/biomarker assays (e.g. immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence).
• Desirable: experience with advanced molecular techniques (e.g. lentiviral transfection, CRISPR‑cas9) and/or omics (e.g. spatial proteomics, spatial transcriptomics, single cell/nucleus sequencing).

Further Information

• Grade: 6.1 – 6.5
• Salary: £32,080 – £35,608
• Work arrangement: Full‑time
• Duration: 1st June 2026 for 60 months
• Line manager: Programme Lead
• Direct reports: Programme Lead

Benefits

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• Wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (e.g. Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• Commitment to your development with access to learning and mentoring schemes integrated with our Academic Career Pathways.
• A range of generous family‑friendly policies, including paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies, support for those going through menopause, paid time off and support for fertility treatment.
• We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
• An enhanced check with barred lists DBS check will be needed for this role. Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield.