Postdoctoral Research Associate

Bath; Bath; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Cycle to work

EV salary sacrifice

Gym discount

Tuition and language courses

Museum discounts

Employee assistance services

Job summary

University of Bath is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to an interdisciplinary project developing intracellular peptide screening technologies. The role focuses on transcription factor function in mammalian cells and requires a strong background in chemical biology, biochemistry or molecular biology.

We welcome candidates with PhD or near completion, experience in cell culture and peptide chemistry, and a keen interest in publishing high-impact results.

Qualifications

• PhD in biochemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology or related field.
• Practical lab experience in molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, peptide chemistry or protein biochemistry.
• Experience designing and troubleshooting experiments with strong analytical skills.
• Interest in protein–protein interactions, transcriptional regulation and novel molecular tools.
• Ability to work independently and in interdisciplinary teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for research dissemination.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of intracellular peptide screening technologies.
• Investigate transcription factor function in mammalian cells.
• Design, execute and interpret experiments; troubleshoot as needed.
• Collaborate across disciplines and contribute to publications.

Skills

Molecular biology

Biochemistry

Chemical biology

Cell culture

Experimental design

Education

PhD in Biochemistry/Chemical Biology/Molecular Biology

Job description

Job title Postdoctoral Research Associate

Department Life Sciences

Salary Starting from £39,560, rising to £46,970

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher with a background in chemical biology, biochemistry, molecular biology or a related discipline to contribute to an interdisciplinary project developing intracellular peptide screening technologies to investigate transcription factor function in mammalian cells.

About you

• A PhD (completed or nearing completion) in biochemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, organic chemistry or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant research experience.
• Practical laboratory experience in one or more of molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, peptide chemistry or protein biochemistry.
• Experience in designing, conducting and troubleshooting experiments, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• An interest in protein–protein interactions, transcriptional regulation and the development of innovative molecular tools.
• Ability to work independently, manage research activities effectively and contribute collaboratively to an interdisciplinary team.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present research findings and contribute to scientific publications.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience in mammalian cell culture, molecular cloning, transfection and the development of cell-based assays.
• Experience in genetically encoded peptide libraries, intracellular screening or reporter-based selection systems.
• Knowledge of peptide synthesis, peptide cyclisation, organic synthesis or chemical crosslinking.
• Familiarity with biochemical or biophysical techniques such as circular dichroism, fluorescence polarisation or isothermal titration calorimetry.
• Experience with luciferase reporter assays, Western blotting, RT-qPCR or related approaches to studying gene regulation.

We particularly welcome applicants who bring strong expertise in either molecular/cell biology or peptide chemistry and are interested in developing complementary skills. Full training and support will be available through our interdisciplinary research team.

Further information

This is a full time (36.5 hours per week) fixed term role with an expected duration of 12 months.

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equity and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff benefits include discounted postgraduate tuition and language courses, alongside a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning, and more
• Local discounts, including free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
• Employee assistance services through Health Assured, including access to the Wisdom app

We’re committed to creating a health-supporting working environment where everyone can thrive and be at their best. We offer a range of resources to enable you to do that from your first day here, including:

• Staff support groups and networks
• A network of Staff Wellbeing Champions
• A suite of tools, resources and frameworks that enable you to be at your best and thrive

Right to Work in the UK: We do not assess immigration or right to work status until offer stage. Being invited to interview does not guarantee you are eligible for visa sponsorship and all offers are conditional on meeting right to work requirements. Further information is available on our application support webpage.

Anonymous shortlisting: We are constantly seeking to reduce the unconscious bias that enters any assessment process, with the goal of creating an inclusive and equal assessment process. To support this, personal details such as your name, may be removed from application forms at the initial shortlisting stage.