Senior Research Fellow (Deputy Director DCC)

A vacancy has arisen for a Deputy Director within the Drug Control Centre (DCC), King’s Forensics in the Department of Toxicology & Forensic Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science. The post holder will have advanced knowledge and understanding of chromatographic-mass spectrometry-based analysis and possess significant laboratory experience in bioanalysis.  

The DCC is the only World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in the UK and is therefore an important sovereign facility.  It played a key role in the London 2012 Olympics, Glasgow 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2021 Rugby League World Cup sports testing programmes as well as the UEFA Men’s and Women’s Football Tournaments (the EUROs) and most recently the European Athletics Championships (2026). The DCC is also accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) as a testing laboratory, in accordance with IEC/ISO 17025. The post holder will therefore need a meticulous approach to work and understand the importance of maintaining quality standards within a highly structured laboratory unit.

The Senior Research Fellow will be required to develop and lead a research programme in the DCC that complements and builds on the existing research portfolio through the acquisition of research and third-stream income and the publication of scientific papers in peer reviewed journals. 

• The Senior Research Fellow will act as the Deputy Director for the Drug Control Centre (DCC) at King’s College London.
• To support the Head of the Drug Control Centre (Laboratory Director) to identify, develop and lead research collaborations and partnerships within King’s College London and with other academic institutions and analytical science practitioners / end user bodies, and leverage these relationships to maximise both the research impact and funding from grant and other sources.
• The Senior Research Fellow will be required to work closely with the Director of King’s Forensics (Head of the DCC) to maintain the success of the laboratory. This role will have a wide range of responsibilities including assisting with day-to-day running of the DCC, reporting laboratory results, training and laboratory staff management
• Be responsible for the core competencies of analytical staff and the DCC training programme in compliance with WADA requirements for Certified and Certifying Scientists to ensuring that laboratory staff are suitably qualified to work within their own area.
• To work collaboratively with the Laboratory Operations Manager in matters relating to the fair allocation of staff across the DCC to meet demand according to skills and capacity providing expert advice in a range of subject areas pertinent to analytical science
• As a senior member of staff, the candidate will contribute to the Educational provision within King’s Forensics including lecturing, supervising students and marking. Teaching responsibilities will amount to around 10 % of the role.
• The Senior Research Fellow will work to ensure compliance with World Anti-Doping Code’s International Standard for Laboratories, and both WADA and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditations, maintaining and building relations with UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) as well as representing the DCC within the scientific community.
• The Senior Research Fellow position includes the obligations of the ISO 17025 accreditation “Technical Manager” and as such must have significant experience in the development and validation of assays, a wide range of analytical approaches (such as separation science, mass spectrometry and/or immunoassay), a PhD in a relevant scientific subject with considerable analytical chemistry content
• Demonstrable expertise at post-doctoral level of working in an analytical chemistry laboratory focusing on the interpretation of analytical data from biological samples and the ability to lead on decision making around sample reporting of adverse analytical findings.
• IT literacy for commonly used software packages is required, along with an understanding of the importance of dealing with confidential information.  An understanding of the implications of Health and Safety for self and others taking standard actions within guidelines where appropriate is essential.

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.

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

Essential criteria 

Desirable criteria

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.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, and we recognise its growing role in professional work. Applicants may use AI tools to support preparation of their application, for example to research the role or structure written responses. However, applications must reflect the applicant’s own work and experience. AI tools should not be used during interviews or assessment activities unless this has been agreed in advance as a reasonable adjustment. Further guidance on the use of AI in recruitment can be found here .

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.

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