King's College London

About Us

A vacancy has arisen within the King’s Forensics-Mass Spectrometry Services (KF-MSS) laboratory, King’s Forensics in the Department of Analytical, Environmental & Forensic Sciences, in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences working in the Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry team.

About The Role

The Analyst post is based within the King’s Forensics-Mass Spectrometry Services (KF-MSS), King’s Forensics in the Department of Analytical, Environmental & Forensic Sciences, in the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences working in the Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry team. The post holder will be familiar with chromatographic-mass spectrometry-based analysis and have laboratory experience in bioanalytical or clinical testing. 

The KF-MSS runs a routine analytical testing service for clinical trials involving the administration of cannabidiol (CBD) and the detection of endocannabinoids as well as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and metabolites.  Other requests to support research within and beyond the university for the analysis of small molecules is also undertaken. The post holder will therefore need a meticulous approach to work and understand the importance of maintaining quality standards within a structured laboratory unit.

Under the supervision of the Principal Analyst (LC-Technologies), the post holder will prepare biological samples for analysis in accordance with established methodology.  This will include booking and splitting samples as they arrive in the laboratory.  Staff at this level are required to carry out a range of activities using standard laboratory operating procedures (SOPs) and working to always comply with the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). The post holder will need to be organised and proficient in routine laboratory skills and be able to work alone as well as in a team. Training to achieve the necessary competencies will be provided by qualified staff.

This post is entirely based on campus. 

This is a full time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. Degree level experience developed through considerable knowledge and skills gained through work experience in a similar post
2. Have a range of analytical or practical skills related to LC-MS and a well- developed working knowledge of LC-MS analytical practices and procedures for use in bioanalysis
3. Knowledge of and familiarity with the use of standard operating procedures within a laboratory setting
4. A good understanding of a quality assurance framework as it applies to an analytical laboratory
5. Good computer skills including Microsoft Office packages
6. Ability to work in a team and demonstrate an ability to complete tasks in a timely manner
7. Strong planning & organisational skills – a systematic and precise approach, managing competing priorities, accurately recording information
8. A commitment to maintain a training record and take part in professional development and a willingness to learn new techniques

Desirable criteria

1. Previous experience of working with biological samples
2. Experience of a relevant modern testing laboratory and analytical instrumentation

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further Information

At King’s, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative, are great strengths of the university.

The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.

We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.

When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King’s guidance.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.

We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘ How we Recruit’ pages.