Sustainable Research Assistant

We're seeking a passionate and detail-oriented Sustainable Research Assistant to join King’s Sustainable Research Team (SRT) and help drive real change across our research community.

Labs consume 3-10 times more energy per square foot than offices, and biological and medical research is a major contributor to global plastic waste. That’s where you come in.

At King’s, we’re tackling these challenges head-on by rolling out the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) across all our wet labs. LEAF provides a roadmap for labs to become more sustainable, with actionable steps ranked from Bronze to Gold based on impact. In this role, you’ll support labs in implementing and auditing LEAF criteria, offering hands-on guidance to help them improve their environmental performance.

You’ll also play a key part in a variety of other sustainable research initiatives, helping to embed greener practices into the heart of scientific discovery. If you’re ready to be a catalyst for change in one of the world’s leading research institutions, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities:

1. Travelling to labs as and when needed to deliver or pick up resources
2. Get involved in planning and executing exciting events—your organizational skills will help make them a success.
3. LEAF Auditing Training: Receive hands-on training in sustainable lab practices
4. Participate and provide SRT support for peer auditing process across all labs
5. Support cold storage optimisation with the freezer challenge campaign
6. Supporting on any other projects as required

Qualifications

An undergraduate degree in a wet laboratory-based science.

Skills

Knowledge

Essential: wet laboratory skills including understanding of contamination and waste, cold storage.

Desirable: Knowledge of sustainable science or the LEAF programme, including knowledge of using resources efficiently including equipment and consumables, water and energy use.

Experience

Essential: experience of working in a wet-lab.

Desirable: Experience implementing the LEAF programme.

Skills

Essential: Able to use their initiative and work independently.

Essential: Able to move to Guy’s and Denmark Hill campuses.

Desirable: Previous experience doing LEAF auditing.

Other Attributes

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Good communication skills.