Top Research Jobs in Edinburgh

Supports research using linked Scottish electronic healthcare records to investigate short- and long-term infant outcomes following maternal RSV vaccination. The role involves working with complex confidential health data, developing and implementing data-driven approaches, collaborating closely with the line manager, and contributing to research publications within the Centre for Medical Informatics.

Supports post-award administration for externally funded research projects, including processing financial transactions in People and Money, managing team queries and mailboxes, assisting with funder audits, and providing administrative support to research grants staff. The role requires strong numeracy, attention to detail, workload prioritization, communication skills, teamwork, and proficiency with Excel and Microsoft Office. Finance experience is desirable but not essential.

Conduct academic research under the King-Smith Group to develop machine learning models for identifying novel therapeutic candidates. The role involves applying machine learning methods to chemical sciences, completing research projects, and communicating findings effectively. The position is a full-time, 18-month fixed-term postdoctoral appointment, with part-time and flexible working options considered.

Conduct global research on how climate change affects floods, droughts, and wildfire hazards. Develop probabilistic, ensemble-based models using climate and land-use projections, identify hazard hotspots, and assess how fire-modified landscapes influence hydrology. Process, synthesize, and downscale geospatial data to translate global climate model outputs into local risk insights. The work supports analysis of future water-related hazards and their potential global health impacts under different socioeconomic pathways.

Conduct applied postdoctoral research and epidemiological analysis to improve the use of real-world evidence in regulatory and health technology decision-making for medicines and medical devices. Work independently on data analysis projects and contribute to broader research programmes, collaborating with university and external stakeholders. The role is based within the University of Edinburgh’s population health and health data research teams.

Administer research grants before and after award for the School of Physics and Astronomy. Responsibilities include advising on grant application costs and submissions, supporting grant holders with award management and funder regulations, and preparing end-of-grant processes and final expenditure statements. The role requires accurate, numerate, organized, and customer-focused work, along with strong oral and written communication skills.

Supports a plant immunity research group through plant molecular biology laboratory work, maintaining plant materials, ensuring smooth laboratory operations, supporting research across the lab, and welcoming and training new members. The role is based at the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, and is a full-time, 12-month fixed-term position.

Conduct research on how climate-driven weather changes affect bird and mammal populations using population modelling, demography, ecological forecasting, and statistical tool development. Contribute to Open Science initiatives and the SPI-Birds database, develop R packages, publish research, collaborate with international teams, and engage with conservation and policy organisations through workshops.

Delivers qualitative and mixed-methods research on energy, environmental, and climate policy. Applies behavioural science frameworks, conducts interviews, focus groups, literature reviews, and evidence synthesis, and develops actionable recommendations for clients. Manages research projects and workstreams, client relationships, fieldwork, reports, presentations, and stakeholder engagement. Supports thought leadership, proposals, and business development while contributing to policy and advisory projects focused on decarbonisation, sustainability, behaviour change, and public attitudes.

Monitors global oil refineries and petrochemical facilities using real-time infrared imagery, trains machine learning models, queries high-frequency datasets, and generates market insights for trading clients. The role supports process improvement, cross-functional collaboration, client engagement, and integrated analysis of short-term energy markets.

Conduct predominantly laboratory-based research investigating indoor air pollution, particle reactivity, and toxicological health effects. Perform oxidative potential assays, particle characterization, animal studies, and biomedical analyses. Contribute to research direction, project coordination, manuscript preparation, grant applications, collaboration with research laboratories, and dissemination of findings within the INHABIT UKRI research hub.

Conduct research on pharmaceutical formulation, nanoparticle-based drug delivery, and nebulisation technologies for inhaled therapies. Lead experiments, apply analytical techniques, analyse data, publish findings, supervise students, and contribute to collaborative ARIA-funded projects. The role requires multidisciplinary teamwork, scientific communication, and participation in research and professional development activities.

Conduct translational research on cellular senescence in lung injury and inflammation using human precision-cut lung slices and cell-based models. Develop and standardize high-content imaging and high-throughput assays to characterize senescent cells and screen senolytic or senomorphic drugs. Test lead compounds in human lung slice models using tissue culture, microscopy, immunoassays, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. The role is full-time, fixed-term, and requires onsite laboratory work.

Manages predominantly quantitative research and evaluation projects from inception through final reporting. Responsibilities include survey and questionnaire design, data specifications, data quality checks, project planning, budget and risk management, client and supplier communication, report and presentation writing, proposal development, and mentoring junior researchers. The role also interprets data to produce insights and applies AI tools to improve research delivery.

Conduct research on the RubberDUQ project within the Quantum Software Lab, developing mathematical foundations and practical tools for hybrid quantum-classical programming. Work may involve categorical semantics, programming language theory, quantum computing, compiler design, and compiler implementation. Collaborate with academic and industry partners, produce high-quality research outputs, and communicate complex technical concepts clearly.

Develop and coordinate policy and research priorities for the National Members’ Council. Produce accessible evidence-based briefings, reports, presentations, and recommendations for Council, committees, the Board, colleagues, and external stakeholders. Apply policy research, engagement, and co-design methods to understand member-owner needs, support governance activities, facilitate meetings, and promote the Council’s work externally.

Leads complex, large-scale quantitative research programmes across multiple countries, overseeing methodology, sampling, questionnaire design, fieldwork, reporting, budgets, risks, quality assurance, and dissemination. The role manages stakeholders, suppliers, multidisciplinary teams, and client relationships; develops proposals and business opportunities; presents findings to senior audiences; supports methodological development; and coaches colleagues. Work focuses on international social, health, human rights, migration, education, employment, and economic development research.

Oversee and monitor clinical trial sites to ensure protocol, regulatory, and GCP compliance. Conduct site visits, resolve issues, support site performance, and maintain data integrity. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, train site staff and CRAs, manage multiple sites and projects, and build stakeholder relationships to support successful trial execution.

Provides administrative support across a portfolio of university research projects and institute activities. Responsibilities include stakeholder liaison, event and meeting coordination, budget and expenditure monitoring, procurement, data analysis and reporting, communications, compliance, HR and facilities administration, and process improvement. The role independently manages competing priorities, resolves complex queries, supports committees, coaches colleagues, and works with research, healthcare, charity, academic, and public stakeholders.

Solve, develop, review, and validate advanced mathematical and computational problems for an AI training initiative. Translate mathematical concepts into executable Python workflows, implement algorithms, conduct numerical experiments, automate calculations, test edge cases, and verify reproducibility. Apply optimization, modeling, statistical analysis, and numerical computation methods while documenting clear, mathematically sound results. The role is fully remote and requires an MSc or PhD in mathematics or a related quantitative field, along with strong practical Python skills.

Conduct empirical AI safety research with mentor guidance, owning projects from hypotheses and controlled experiments through analysis and technical writing. Build and debug evaluation harnesses, agent environments, datasets, monitoring methods, and post-training experiments. Investigate model failures, alignment, deception, misuse, multi-agent risks, and evaluation reliability. Produce reproducible code, experiment logs, research analyses, and papers for potential submission to leading machine learning conferences.

Supports project managers in coordinating clinical research projects, facilitating team communications, maintaining documentation, tracking vendor budgets and invoices, managing project systems and access, and ensuring audit readiness. The role requires knowledge of clinical research regulations, drug and device development, clinical monitoring procedures, and basic project management practices.

Provides specialist advice and strategic support on trusted research, export control, the National Security and Investment Act, the Nagoya Protocol, due diligence, and research security. The role develops policies, reviews regulatory cases, supports export licence applications, advises senior stakeholders, delivers training, monitors referrals, produces reports, and contributes to institutional risk management and compliance initiatives.

Leads Ofcom’s research innovation and data strategy, overseeing statistics, analytics, behavioural research, innovative research methods, and programme management. The role develops responsible data and AI capabilities, improves access to insight, strengthens cross-organisational collaboration, manages senior teams and budgets, and represents Ofcom externally. It requires strategic leadership, advanced data science and research expertise, data ethics knowledge, programme management, change leadership, and the ability to communicate complex analysis to regulatory, policy, commercial, and external stakeholders.

Supports an NIHR-funded randomized controlled trial on arts and culture for young people’s mental health. Responsibilities include community recruitment, participant engagement, qualitative interviews and focus groups, data management and thematic analysis, youth involvement activities, research administration, stakeholder coordination, and contributing to reports and publications while following ethical, data protection, and Good Clinical Practice requirements.