Assistant/Associate Professor within Life Sciences

SONICOM; Greater London; On-site; GBP 73,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

43 days off/year & pension

Job summary

Imperial College London invites applications from scientists to lead a cutting-edge research and teaching program in Immunology or Infection, Bacteriology or Microbiology. These are permanent faculty roles at Assistant/Associate Professor level starting in 2026–27, with research, teaching and mentoring of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Imperial is a multidisciplinary space committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive working environment.

Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent) in Immunology or related discipline.
• Developing national/ international reputation in your field of research.
• Proven track record in conducting high quality independent research, with high-quality publications.
• Experience of training undergraduate and postgraduate students.
• Experience of preparing grant applications for submission.
• Experience of leading, motivating, developing and managing the performance of colleagues.
• Effective communicator, conveying ideas clearly to diverse audiences.
• Ability to raise significant research funding from various sources.

Responsibilities

• To develop a broad range of research in Immunology or Infection, Bacteriology or Microbiology within the department.
• To supervise, train and mentor research staff and students.
• To manage research projects.
• To publish research in peer reviewed journals.
• To attend and present work at national and international conferences.
• To collaborate with colleagues within the Department of Life Sciences and across departments.
• To contribute to the national and international research community and learned societies.
• To teach at undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees through lectures and seminars.
• To examine courses at all levels and contribute to curriculum development.
• To mentor students across levels and contribute to teaching enhancements.

Skills

PhD in Immunology

Research leadership

Grant writing

Teaching experience

Communication skills

Funding ability

Education

PhD in Immunology or related discipline

Job description

Assistant/Associate Professor within Life Sciences

We are Imperial – a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB), where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

We invite applications from scientists to lead a cutting-edge research and teaching program in two streams:

• Immunology, including but not limited to cellular immunology.
• Infection, Bacteriology or Microbiology.

Applicants should specify in their application their preferred stream from those listed above, which will be used to determine review panel allocation.

These are permanent faculty member positions at the Assistant/Associate Professor level, starting during the 2026-27 academic year. You will conduct research, teach and mentor students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Imperial is a multidisciplinary space for education, research, translation and commercialisation, harnessing science and innovation to tackle global challenges. Appointees are expected to broaden the Department’s research capabilities, while complementing our existing strengths:

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We especially welcome applicants who are women or from any under-represented groups.

What you would be doing

Duties and responsibilities (commensurate with the level of appointment)

Research

• To develop a broad range of research in1. Immunology or 2. Infection, Bacteriology or Microbiology within the department..
• To supervise, train and mentor research staff and students.
• To manage research projects.
• To publish research in peer reviewed journals.
• To attend and present work at national and international conferences.
• To collaborate and strengthen links with colleagues within the Department of Life Sciences and across all departments.
• To play a role in the national and international research community and/or learned societies.

Education

• To teach at all levels – undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees – through lectures and seminars
• To examine courses at all levels – undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees – exam setting, coursework setting, marking and viva style examinations
• To mentor students of all levels, undergraduate, masters and higher research degrees through personal tutorials, and supervision.
• To contribute to curriculum development.
• To contribute to the enhancement of teaching within the field

What we are looking for

Essential requirements (commensurate with the level of appointment)

• A PhD (or equivalent) in Immunology or a related discipline.
• A developing national/ international reputation in your field of research
• A proven track record in conducting high quality independent research, as evidenced by high quality publications in peer reviewed journals.
• Experience of training undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Experience of preparing grant applications for submission
• Experience of developing skills in leading, motivating, developing and managing the performance of colleagues
• An effective communicator, conveying ideas and concepts clearly and effectively to a range of audiences through a variety of methods and media.
• An ability to raise significant research funding from a variety of sources, commensurate with your career stage.

Please see the Job Description for more details on the key duties and essential requirements for this position.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Grow in your career with tailored training programmes for academic staff including dedicated support with navigating your career and managing research as well as a transparent promotion process.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days off a year including public holidays and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources designed to support your personal and professional wellbeing .

Further information

Salary
Assistant Professor: £73,194 to £82,954 per annum
Associate Professor: Minimum starting salary of £85,873 per annum

There are full time open-ended roles based at the Imperial College South Kensington Campus.

• Short Online Presentations to Department: November 2026
• Interviews (by invitation; candidates online,panel in person): December 2026

If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Professor Mark Isalan, Professor of Engineering Biology and recruitment lead, email: [e-mail]

Closing date: Sunday 4 October 2026 at 23:59 hours (midnight BST).

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

We reserve the right to close the advert before the stated closing date, should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top-ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.

Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our web pages .

Proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from the Armed Forces community.

Our values are at the root of everything we do, and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.