Postdoctoral Research Analyst - Cell Signalling and Immunology

University of Dundee; Scotland; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK research institution is seeking a Senior Research Scientist/Data Analyst specializing in tumour immunology. The role involves advanced computational data analysis and RNA sequencing, contributing to a CRUK-funded project on early-stage mesothelioma. Ideal candidates will possess a PhD and significant programming experience, with strong collaborative skills in a dynamic research environment.

Benefits

Collaborative research environment

Excellent quality of life in Dundee

Opportunities for career development

Qualifications

• PhD degree in relevant field with life science exposure.
• Considerable programming experience with public codebases.
• Demonstrated experience with RNA sequencing data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and add features to existing data analysis pipelines.
• Establish RNA sequencing workflows focused on genomic analysis.
• Write optimized scripts in R or Python.

Skills

Computational data analysis

Programming (R/Python)

RNA sequencing data analysis

Collaborative work

Education

PhD in biology/biochemistry/computer science/bioinformatics

Tools

HPC systems

Mass spectrometry

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional and highly motivated Senior Research Scientist/ Data Analyst with a passion for tumour immunology and strong expertise in large-scale transcriptomic data analysis to join the Antigen Discovery Group at the University of Dundee.

This CRUK-funded project focuses on identifying targetable T cell antigens in early-stage mesothelioma, with the goal of developing a novel vaccination approach to prevent disease onset in high-risk individuals. The research will be carried out in close collaboration with the CRUK Scotland Institute in Glasgow.

You will become part of a dynamic and collaborative team of scientists dedicated to tumour antigen discovery and the development of next-generation immunotherapies. The group, led by Professor Nicola Ternette, investigates the role of HLA function in T cell recognition across a range of disease models, including cancer.

We are looking for an individual with substantial experience in advanced computational data analysis and programming, with particular expertise in qualitative and quantitative analysis of RNA sequencing data and its integration with mass spectrometry datasets.

This position is central to the Antigen Discovery Laboratory and offers opportunities to develop your own research ideas while collaborating with world-class scientists across Scotland.

Why Join Us?

• Work at a leading centre for biomedical research: The University of Dundee is consistently ranked among the top universities in the UK for biological sciences and research excellence.
• Be part of one of Europe's leading hubs for medical research: Dundee is recognised as one of the foremost centres for immunology research in Europe, offering unparalleled opportunities for collaboration.
• Collaborative and supportive environment: The School of Life Sciences fosters innovation, inclusivity, and interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Excellent quality of life: Dundee offers a high standard of living with an affordable cost of life, stunning natural surroundings, and a vibrant scientific community.

Your priorities will include:

• Maintaining (updating/testing/debugging) and adding new features to the existing pipelines
• Establishing and advancing RNA sequencing data analysis workflows with a focus on short sequence strings in the annotated and non-annotated genome space.
• Writing optimised R- or python-based scripts and train group members on using these to analyse their own datasets optimally.
• Writing scientific papers and contributing to the generation of preliminary data to support grant applications.
• Work collaboratively with Ternette Laboratory members and academic and/or industrial collaborators
• Prepare and submit funding applications

Who we're looking for:

• A PhD degree in biology/biochemistry/computer science/bioinformatics with life science exposure.
• Considerable programming experience demonstrating codebase hosting on open-platforms is required
• Demonstrated track record of experience with RNA sequencing data
• Considerable experience on operating complex command line tools and pipelines/workflows on an HPC system or in the commercial computing cloud

For further information about this position please contact [e-mail]. To find out more about the Group please visit https://www.dundee.ac.uk/people/nicola-ternette.

Commitment to DORA

The School of Life Sciences has been fully committed to the principals of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) since 2013. In assessing applicants, we consider the scientific quality of their published research papers, but do not take into account where the papers were published and do not consider journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors.