Senior Scientific Officer​/Trials Analyst

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Requisition

Location:

Newcastle, GB

Contract Type:
Fixed Term

Working Pattern:
Full Time

Posted Date: 30 Oct 2026

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 13 November 2026

The Senior Scientific Officer/Trials Analyst will be responsible for the management of a suite of analytical equipment and coordination of research projects in the Newcastle Cancer Centre Pharmacology Group of Professor Gareth Veal , a leading international centre in the development and validation of clinical pharmacology assays in the field of oncology. The role involves the coordination and management of multiple projects relating to the analysis and quantification of anticancer drug levels in clinical samples obtained as part of national clinical pharmacology trials.

Additional preclinical assay development work may also be involved, with all work carried out according to GCLP regulations. You will take responsibility for leading individual projects, involving the validation of novel assays and analysis of clinical samples, and the implementation of new programs of research utilising your high level of expertise in assay development. This expansive role will incorporate the costing of collaboration with a wide variety of people including university research staff/students, analytical technicians from external companies, clinicians/research nursing staff in national treatment centres and representatives from charities and funding bodies.

Reporting to the Institute Technical Manager team and Professor Veal, you will be a visible role model, demonstrating the highest standards of leadership and behaviour and contributing to the development of an outstanding professional service.

The post is full time, fixed term until 31/02/2028.

• Development and validation of analytical assays using highly specialist equipment, requiring the application of a high level of skill and expertise, obtained through many years of experience
• Provision of expert advice and management in all aspects of clinical pharmacology assay development (e.g. advising on experimental design and feasibility, assay validation, logistics, etc) to a wide range of staff, students and commercial users
• Provision of expert advice and management in all aspects of clinical pharmacology assay development (e.g. advising on experimental design and feasibility, assay validation, logistics, etc) to a wide range of staff, students and commercial users
• Liaison with PIs and research staff within the institute and wider university to facilitate the running of multiple research projects to meet defined deadlines. This role involves both scientific input (assessment of requirements and analysis of data) in addition to forward planning skills required to prioritise equipment usage by various users and multiple projects to meet deadlines for pharmaceutical companies, sponsors and regulatory agencies
• Development of new/improved analytical methods and facilities, by keeping up to date with developments in the field to enable an ongoing understanding of cutting-edge technologies. Developing business cases for the upgrading of the pharmacology group analytical facilities, including the procurement of new equipment
• Work with PIs to devise and review research proposals, grant applications and costings to ensure feasibility, accuracy and cost efficiency within the term of the project plan, bearing in mind the requirement for equipment usage across multiple research projects and groups
• Devise and implement strategies and decisions in order to most efficiently allocate resources to meet aims and objectives across multiple projects involving charities, pharma and regulatory agencies in a fast-moving environment
• Initiate and develop enterprise opportunities and foster and maintain established links with national and internationally recognised companies and organisations
• Maintain critical laboratory equipment including troubleshooting and making essential repairs. Identify serious faults and liaise with service contract technicians to coordinate repairs
• Provide training in analytical assays to staff at all levels
• Develop and validate assays (LC/MS, HPLC) for the quantification of cancer drugs
• Analyse drug levels in clinical…