RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Organisation/Company RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Department Human Resources Research Field All Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Master Positions Country Ireland Application Deadline 28 Aug 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Dublin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
Job Title:
Research Assistant Researcher
Department:
Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine/CVRI Dublin
Reporting to:
Prof Osama Soliman, Deputy Director, CVRI Dublin
Location:
Mater Private Network/RCSI
Contract/Duration
Specified Purpose
Remuneration:
Aligned with the IUA Researchers RA salary, dependent on experience
RCSI is a community of academic, research, clinical and professional staff working collaboratively to lead the world to better health. Here, you will thrive in an innovative and inclusive atmosphere and your personal development and wellbeing will be supported. We invite you to join us to help deliver on our exciting mission “To educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health”.We seek candidates whose experience to date has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to the “Race Equality Action Plan 2025-2029” at RCSI. Our students come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This makes our university stronger and ensures we hire the best talent.
Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 is RCSI’s new five-year strategic plan. Through it, RCSI
will enhance human health by meeting the health workforce needs of society,
creating the insights and inventions that drive health improvements, and
working in partnership with patients and the public in support of better health
and well-being for all. The strategy unites the RCSI community in supporting
the UN Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on Goal 3, which
targets good health and well-being.
For each
of the last six years, RCSI has been positioned in the Top 300 of universities
worldwide in the Times Higher World University Rankings. We are proud that RCSI
ranks fifth in the world for “GoodHealth and
Well-being” in the Times Higher
Education #SDG #SDG
Impact Rankings 2024. This reflects our commitment to
supporting people of all ages to live healthy lives and our work to promote the
concepts of well-being and positive health. In 2024, RCSI
was delighted to be named one of the SundayTimes Best Places
to Work in Ireland.
At RCSI, our core values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship,
and Innovation are at the heart ofeverything wedo. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive
environment where everycolleague is valued and empowered to thrive. Our dedication
to these values ensures that we foster aculture of mutual
respect, open collaboration, continuous learning, and innovative thinking. Join
us atRCSI, where your contributions will be recognised, and you
will be part of a dynamic team making a realimpact on global
health.
About Our Research
RCSI recognises that excellence in research is critical to the quality of its educational activities, its credibility, and, overall, to its mission to enhance human health. RCSI’s research strategy aims to build upon its strength in translational biomedical and clinical research to deliver transformational, high impact changes in health care. Targeting both Irish national and EU funding, along with increased collaboration with industry, is a major part of the RCSI research strategy. Forging increased collaboration between RCSI PIs and industry is of critical importance to achieving success in this area. RCSI is also committed to provide its researchers with the supports and developmental opportunities to enable them to continuously grow and support their overall career development.
Summary of Post
This role is based at the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) in Dublin, Mater Private Hospital in Dublin, and RCSI in Dublin. These two full-time Research Assistants will support the clinical translational work packages of the RightHeartWise project. Working closely with Prof Osama Soliman, the RAs will help design and implement the animal protocol, first-in-human clinical investigation plan, and regulatory submissions. The roles require strong collaboration skills, foundational clinical knowledge, and the ability to manage compliance, clinical data, and cross-functional interactions related to regulatory, in silico, and device development activities.
Specifically, the duties of the post are:
The Clinical Research Assistant will work as part of Prof Soliman’s Lab at both RCSI and the Mater Private Hospital.
Key Responsibilities
1. Animal Protocol Development and Preclinical Planning
* Assist in the design, documentation, and ethical submission of large animal study protocols in compliance with EU Directive 2010/63/EU and Irish regulations.
* Coordinate preclinical timelines and technical execution with veterinary and surgical collaborators.
* Support the integration of histological, hemodynamic, and imaging data into the device development process.
2. Clinical Investigation for First-in-Human Study
* Contribute to the development of the Clinical Investigation Plan (CIP) in accordance with MDR 2017/745, ISO 14155, and ICH-GCP.
* Assist in protocol writing, site selection, ethics submissions, and clinical trial registration.
* Engage with multidisciplinary teams (cardiac surgery, imaging, regulatory, engineering) to ensure protocol alignment with clinical needs
3. Regulatory & Compliance Support
* Aid in the compilation and review of documents for regulatory filings (HPRA, EMA, Notified Bodies).
* Liaise with RCSI and Mater Private Hospital research offices for compliance, data protection (GDPR), and safety reporting.
* Support interactions with regulatory consultants and auditors.
4. Clinical and Imaging Support
* Help coordinate and analyse patient-level data from registries (e.g., EEVAD, EuroEchoVAD, EUROMACS) focused on right heart failure phenotyping.
* Assist in imaging data preparation (Echo, CT, MRI) for in silico testing and device design simulations.
* Prepare clinical summaries, case report forms, and SOPs related to patient selection and endpoint adjudication.
5. Scientific Communication and Collaboration
* Draft internal reports, technical summaries, and co-author scientific publications or abstracts.
* Prepare content for grant deliverables, investor updates, and milestone meetings.
* Present findings at internal seminars, journal clubs, and scientific symposia as appropriate.
Qualifications – (Essential):
* A minimum of a primary degree in medicine.
* Demonstrated interest or experience in cardiovascular medicine or translational research.
* Familiarity with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), clinical trial design, or regulatory standards.
* Strong analytical and organizational skills.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* High motivation, initiative, and ability to work independently and collaboratively.
* Experience in regulatory science, clinical trial coordination, or medical device development.
* Knowledge of ISO 14155, MDR 2017/745, or FDA IDE pathway.
* Experience in cardiovascular imaging or animal models of heart failure.
* Familiarity with DICOM, in silico modelling tools, or core lab image analysis is a plus.
* Ability to manage timelines and contribute to multi-stakeholder coordination.
We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please dosubmit an application —we’d love to hear from you.
Application Process
Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal by the closing date, submitting your CV and cover letter.
Click here to read our Recruitment and Selection Policy for Researcher.
Employee Benefits
At RCSI, we help care
for our people so they can focus on our mission to Educate,nurture and discover for
thebenefit of human health. RCSI truly goesabove and beyond to support its
employees, ensuring they haveeverything they need to thrive both personally and
professionally.Here's a glimpse of the
fantastic benefitavailable:
Health and Wellbeing:
* Our Inspire Programme promotes the importance of taking care of
both our general health and mental health. Inspire manages the Employee
Assistance Programme (EAP) offered throughSpectrumLife. Past events held by Inspire have included, workshops on
mindfulness practices, yoga, nutritional advice, financial advice on mortgages,
pensions & health insurance from leading experts, fitness challenges,
baking competitions, weight loss programmes, annual flu vaccination campaign
and many more.
* You can also enjoy access to an onsite gym for just €10 per month.
* Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for fostering
employee well-being, productivity, and overall satisfaction. At RCSI, we offer
flexible working arrangements, study leave, and career breaks. In addition to
20 days of annual leave, employees receive an extra 6.5 days of university
privilege days, which occur annually around the Christmas and Easter breaks.
Family Benefits:
* RCSI offers enhanced family leave to our working parents with
fully paid Maternity, Adoptive, Paternity and Surrogacy Leave. We also offer
the first two weeks of Parents leave fully paid for, as well as the option to
take Parental Leave until your child is 18 years old. We provide access to
Platform 55, a new Parents Platform to support staff before, during, and
afterbecominga parent. We also offer flexible working, discounted Giraffe
crèche services of up to 20% and a Parents and Carers’ Network.
* Benefit from automatic enrolment in a pension scheme with Willis
Towers Watson with the employer contributions increasing with your length of
service, Death in Service of up to 4 times your salary, long-term illness and
disability income replacement, and free advice on health, motor, and home
insurance.
Discounted Services:
* Avail of discounted GP services,Taxsaver commuter tickets, theBiketoWork scheme, free eye tests at the National Optometry Centre,
and discounted parking at St. Stephen's Green/RCSI car park.
Recognition:
* At RCSI, we value and recognise the contributions of our staff
through various awards and events, such as Long Service recognition, the Vice
Chancellor Staff Awards, and through Research Day.
Professional Growth:
* RCSI’s Staff Learning and Development is committed to providing
colleagues with opportunities and support to help them reach their full
potential and thrive at work. Offerings include a comprehensive programme of
staff training, management and leadership development, mentoring, coaching and
funding support for further study.
Staff Networks:
* Additionally, we support a range of staff networks, including the
Women’s Network, Postdoctoral Staff Network, Parents & Carers’ Network,
Project Manager’s Network, LGBTI+ Network, Age Friendly Network etc. These
networks help RCSI to foster a sense of community and inclusivity.
Sports and Social Club:
Engage in a variety of activities such as Yoga, Pilates and a
variety of different Fitness classes. Enjoy social evenings, Book Clubs, Summer
BBQs and one-off events like the Taste of Dublin, Bloom, Dublin Horse Show and
Dublin Zoo. We also have a variety of discount tickets for shows and events
through the year.
Note: This job
description may be subject to change to reflect the evolving requirements of
the Department and RCSI. Similarvacancies that arise in the next 6 months may be filled from
the pool of applicants that apply for this position. RCSI is proudto be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications
from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their gender,civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion,
age,disability or race. RCSI is
committed to embedding equality,diversity and inclusion (EDI) across everything we do. This
ensures we can all work and learn in an environment defined bydignity and respect. Eligibility to work in Ireland is a
requirement of this role, Proof of eligibility documentation will berequiredat a later date. Under limited and specific circumstances (research/
specialist roles) RCSI may bein a position to seeka hosting agreement and/or work permits. Employeesare required to undertake 6 months
service in their current role beforeapplying for other internal opportunities, unless agreed in
advance by the SMT representative
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