12650 - Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Edinburgh; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious research university in Edinburgh is seeking a postdoctoral scientist to join a research program studying mechanics of cell division and chromosome segregation. Candidates must have a PhD and be experienced in single particle cryoEM, cryo-electron tomography, and protein biochemistry. This fixed-term position offers competitive compensation with flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Candidates should have a PhD.
• Experience in cryoEM and cryo-electron tomography.
• Familiarity with protein biochemistry and single-molecule biophysics.

Responsibilities

• Investigate the mechanics and regulation of cell division.
• Explore aspects of polyploidy and aneuploidy.
• Utilize structural biology and live-cell microscopy.

Skills

Single particle cryoEM

Cryo-electron tomography

Protein biochemistry

Single-molecule biophysics

Education

PhD

Job description

The Jeyaprakash (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/jeyaprakash) and Hardwick (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/hardwick) groups at the University of Edinburgh, along with the Sanyal (https://molecularmycologylab.wixsite.com/kaustuv) group at JNCASR, Bengaluru, have received significant funding to study non-canonical mechanisms of genome transmission in the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scientist to join our interactive research programme. The successful candidate will investigate the mechanics and regulation of cell division and chromosome segregation, including aspects of polyploidy and aneuploidy, using structural biology, live-cell microscopy, genome engineering, and OMICS approaches.

This fixed-term (3 years), full-time (35 hours per week) PDRA position in the JP group is open to part-time or flexible working arrangements. The salary is Grade UE07: £40,497 - £48,149 per annum, pro-rata if part-time.

For an overview of our recent research, see:
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado8270;
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-024-00183-w;
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56876-w; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011552; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011302; https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.21.508923.

Research in the Institute of Cell Biology aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying genomic and cellular structure and function. The institute comprises around 36 research groups, including the newly formed Centre for Cell Biology and the Discovery Research Platform. This project is funded by the Wellcome Trust for 8 years.

Candidates should have a PhD and experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Single particle cryoEM
• Cryo-electron tomography
• Protein biochemistry, including expression and purification, using insect cell and yeast systems
• Single-molecule biophysics