Job vacancies at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre
Join our friendly international community of over 150 staff here at Sainsbury Wellcome Centre where we support extraordinary people to tackle extraordinary problems.
Comprising of 12 research groups made up of Postdoctoral Researchers, PhD Students, Research Assistants and Master’s Students who all are working towards understanding how the brain drives behaviour. Alongside, are professional and scientific staff who provide indispensable expertise to support SWC’s mission.
Current vacancies
Find the latest vacancies below and apply online via the UCL jobs website. You can also follow us on Bluesky for the latest job opportunities or sign up for regular job alerts on the UCL application portal.
Research Technician / Senior Research Technician (Behrens Lab)
Salary: £36,433 - £42,891 (Grade 6) £43,981 - £54,019 (Grade 7) inclusive of London Allowance
Working Type: Onsite
Working Pattern: Full time
Available Until: Funded util 30th September 2029 in the first instance
Closing Date: Sunday 11th October 2026
Reference: B02-11283
About the role
We are looking for a motivated and organised Research Technician to contribute to the research programme of the Behrens Lab, supporting and directly contributing to projects investigating the neural mechanisms underlying flexible behaviour and decision-making.
The role combines hands-on experimental research with responsibility for supporting the day-to-day operation of experiments across the group. You will work closely with the postdoctoral researchers and students to support multiple projects, oversee shared experimental setups and resources, and ensure experiments are conducted efficiently and to a high technical and scientific standard.
At Grade 7, the role carries additional responsibility for histological processing, aseptic stereotaxic surgery, building and troubleshooting behavioural and electrophysiological setups, and overseeing shared experimental spaces. You will also support and train students and researchers in laboratory techniques, animal procedures and good laboratory practice.
The role is particularly suited to candidates seeking to develop a career as a technical specialist within research operations and laboratory support.
Download the full job description and person specification (PDF) here.
About you
You will hold an undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, in Biological or Biomedical Science, or have equivalent relevant experience.
Excellent organisational and communication skills, strong technical ability, and the capacity to work independently and proactively while supporting a collaborative and multidisciplinary research environment are essential.
You will have previous experience working in a research laboratory, together with experience in the handling, health monitoring and care of rodents.
For appointment at Grade 7, experience of teaching or supervising students in laboratory techniques is required. Experience with optogenetics, electrophysiology and/or stereotaxic surgery would be advantageous.
What we offer
SWC offers staff an award-winning work environment in the heart of Fitzrovia with an onsite brasserie, secure bicycle storage, and access to pleasant outdoor spaces. The Centre also offers the full range of UCL staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement, occupational pension schemes, excellent family-friendly policies such as occupational shared parental pay, a work-life balance policy, career break policy and a range of financial benefits such as a season ticket loan scheme and staff discounts.
How to Apply
To apply visit UCL Jobs and search for vacancy reference B02-11283. Click on “Apply Now” to enter the recruitment portal and start your application.
Your supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. More information on this can be found in the candidate guidance.
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Want to know more? Read our Why join SWC? page to learn about our values and commitments, state of the art Centre, staff benefits and awards.
Interested in joining us? Find out more about How to Apply.
For general enquiries please contact the SWC HR team swc.hr@ucl.ac.uk, +44 (0)20 3108 8011.
Our commitment to Equality Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
The Athena SWAN Charter recognises commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine (STEMM) employment in academia. SWC is delighted to have received an Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2021. We stand by our commitment to positive action to improve equality and accessibility in the workplace. We will provide reasonable adjustments to enable people to work and flourish with us.
SWC is proud to uphold both UCL’s Dignity at Work and Work-Life Balance policies. As Centre we commit to fostering a positive cultural climate where all staff and students can thrive and actively support Wellbeing@UCL.