Research Assistant

Grade UE06: £34,610 to £39,906 per annum

School of Regeneration and Repair / Centre for Regenerative Medicine

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed term: for 24 months

The Opportunity:

Together we can do great things. Be part of something bigger.

Join the University of Edinburgh and you’ll be making a difference to everything around you. Be part of something bigger – where you’ll do meaningful work, grow and progress, be rewarded and recognised, and benefit from our strong commitment to your wellbeing. There are so many reasons to join us.

The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We offer the full range of academic roles and have a genuine focus on our students performance and wellbeing.

Help develop new optical technologies for measuring the mechanical properties of living cells and tissues.

We are looking for a Research Assistant to support the development of optical elastography technologies that use light to measure the biomechanics of cells, organoids and tissues. Building on our group’s advances in optical coherence elastography, you will help translate a new quantitative imaging approach into practical, commercial applications.

Working with the Principal Investigator and a Postdoctoral Research Associate, you will fabricate and mechanically characterise soft gels, undertake biomechanical and optical elastography measurements, support prototype assembly and testing, and collect, analyse and document research data. You will also contribute to research dissemination, knowledge exchange and engagement with academic and industry partners.

You should hold a degree in biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering or an equivalent discipline. You will have experience of relevant engineering methods, gathering data using defined research procedures, computational data analysis and preparing clear reports. Strong communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills are also essential. Experience of mechanical measurements, biomaterial characterisation, 3D printing or prototyping would be advantageous.

People have always been at the heart of our work. As part of the University, you are a part of our community. We are looking for people with drive, determination, and a passion for what they do. We are a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you in building the right meaningful/personalised flexibility for you.

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle: 

This post is full-time (35 hours per week).

View the full job description (opens in a new browser tab) 

How to apply

Please include the following documents in your application:

- CV

- Cover letter

As a valued member of our team, you can expect: 

• A competitive salary. 
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work. 
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits. 

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality. 

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is respected, supported and able to thrive.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab)

The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant. 

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 14th of October 2026

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. 

Interview dates to be confirmed. 

The Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) is a world-leading research centre dedicated to the study of stem cells, disease and tissue repair to improve human health. Part of The Institute for Regeneration and Repair, CRM brings together world leading discovery stem cell research with established clinical excellence to deliver a bench-to-bedside approach in addressing the challenges posed by degenerative diseases. Our Co-directors are Professor Anna Williams and Professor Tilo Kunath.

CRM is home to more than 25 highly interactive research groups working to understand stem cells and their interactions with the tissues in which they are found.  Specific research themes include stem cell biology, tissue maintenance and repair, reprogramming of somatic cells to stem cells (iPS cells) and disease modelling using stem cells. Translational research programmes span four therapeutic targets: brain, blood, liver and heart.

Centre for Regenerative Medicine website (https://regenerative-medicine.ed.ac.uk/) (opens in a new browser tab).

The Institute for Regeneration and Repair
The Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR) is cross-College with staff and students from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) School of Regeneration and Repair (SRR) and the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), School of Biological Sciences and School of Chemistry. The School of Regeneration and Repair is one of six schools in CMVM.

At IRR our scientists and clinicians study tissue regeneration and repair to advance human health and reproductive outcomes. The Institute incorporates three leading research centres with a focus on regenerative medicine, inflammation and reproductive health. Our Director is Professor Stuart Forbes.

IRR has a 5-year income of over £200M and is a collaborative hub for commercial, clinical and academic endeavour. Based at Edinburgh BioQuarter we bring together world leading research expertise to drive understanding and deliver clinical and translational outcomes.

IRR has a work environment built on trust and encourages the very best talent from all backgrounds and at all levels to join us. A diverse team strengthens our ability to innovate and support cutting-edge world leading research. Supporting and empowering our team at all levels is central to our approach.

Our team is ambitious, acts with integrity and demonstrates commitment to progress and impact. We aim to achieve excellence in all that we do, always being principled, considerate and respectful.

Institute for Regeneration and Repair website (https://regeneration-repair.ed.ac.uk/ ) (opens in a new browser tab).