Postdoctoral Fellow- Nurse Lab

Francis Crick Institute Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

UK visa sponsorship

Annual leave 28 days

Pension scheme

Health services and wellbeing

Work-life balance benefits

On-site restaurant

Job summary

The Francis Crick Institute in London is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow for the Nurse Lab. You will lead an independent project studying how Cyclin-Dependent Kinases regulate the cell cycle, with potential focus on CDK activity in G1/S and mitosis, nuclear transport, and chromatin roles.

You will work in a collaborative environment, design experiments, analyze results, and contribute to publications while mentoring PhD students when appropriate.

Qualifications

• PhD in cell biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, or a related discipline.
• Strong experimental design and data interpretation skills.
• Ability to independently develop and deliver a research project.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary and collaborative research environment.
• Strong scientific communication and presentation skills.
• A proactive, creative and curious approach to solving challenging biological questions.

Responsibilities

• Lead an independent research project investigating cell cycle regulation.
• Design and carry out experiments using cell biology, molecular genetics and biochemical approaches.
• Analyze CDK regulation and its role in DNA replication, mitosis and cell cycle control.
• Develop and apply new experimental approaches, with training as needed.
• Collaborate with lab researchers and contribute to wider lab projects.
• Communicate findings through publications and scientific presentations.
• Support and guide PhD students where appropriate.

Skills

Experimental design

Data interpretation

Independent project delivery

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Scientific communication

Creative mindset

Education

PhD in cell biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry or related discipline

Job description

Salary and Contract

Salary for this Role: From £47,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience. Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow- Nurse Lab Reports to: Paul Nurse Closing Date: 30/Sept/2026 23.59 GMT Contract term: This is a full-time, fixed term (4 years) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment. Reporting to: Paul Nurse, Principal Group Leader

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on a wide range of biomedical research activities. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where researchers can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines. We have the freedom to carry out high-quality, bold research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the Nurse Lab

The Nurse Lab investigates one of the most fundamental questions in biology: how cells control their division. Using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a powerful model system for eukaryotic cells, the lab studies how Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) coordinate DNA replication, mitosis and cell division and control progression through the cell cycle. Our research combines cell biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry and systems biology approaches to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that govern the eukaryotic cell cycle.

About the role

We are seeking a creative and highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to investigate the mechanisms controlling eukaryotic cell cycle progression. You will lead an independent research project within the lab exploring how CDK activity is regulated and coordinates key cell cycle events. Depending on your research interests, your work could investigate areas including the G1/S transition, mitotic onset, nuclear transport of cell cycle regulators, CDK substrate phosphorylation or the role of chromatin in CDK regulation. This is an exciting opportunity to tackle fundamental questions in cell biology within a highly collaborative environment, with scope to develop new approaches, contribute to wider projects and to learn how to support PhD researchers.

What you’ll be doing

You will be responsible for: Leading an independent research project investigating cell cycle regulation. Designing and carrying out experiments using cell biology, molecular genetics and biochemical approaches. Analysing CDK regulation and its role in DNA replication, mitosis and cell cycle control. Developing and applying new experimental approaches, with training provided where required. Collaborating with other lab researchers and contributing to wider lab projects. Communicating research findings through publications and scientific presentations. Supporting and guiding PhD students where appropriate.

About you

You will have: (Minimum criteria*) PhD in cell biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, or a related discipline. * Strong experimental design and data interpretation skills.* Ability to independently develop and deliver a research project.* Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary and collaborative research environment.* Strong scientific communication and presentation skills.* A proactive, creative and curious approach to solving challenging biological questions.

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply.

What will you receive?

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

• Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK
• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
• Health & Well-being: 24/7 GP consultation services. Occupational health services and mental health support programs. Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.
• Work-Life Balance: Back-up care for dependents. Childcare support allowance. Annual leave purchase options. Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.
• Perks: Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts.
• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.
• Career support: A Post-doc to PI programme and other career development activities

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.

Final Paragraph

The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute researching the biology underlying human health. At the Crick, scientists and staff collaborate to stretch the very limits of what we know about how life works. Our work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections and neurodegenerative diseases.

The Francis Crick Institute is a charity, founded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and King’s College London.