Postdoctoral Researcher

John Innes Centre; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious research center in the UK seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher to investigate the genetic control of cold tolerance in bread wheat. This role involves designing experiments, conducting research on cold-resistant and susceptible lines, and contributing to gene models. Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant field and expertise in molecular biology. This position offers opportunities for visa sponsorship.

Qualifications

• PhD required in a related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in molecular biology and genetics.
• Ability to work independently and effectively within a team.

Responsibilities

• Design and carry out experiments on cold tolerance in wheat.
• Compare responses of cold-susceptible and cold-resistant wheat lines.
• Contribute to gene regulatory network models.

Skills

Expertise in molecular biology

Genetics knowledge

Good communication skills

Organisational skills

Teamwork

Education

PhD in Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Plant Biology

Job description

Organisation/Company: John Innes Centre

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: Postdoc Positions

Country: United Kingdom

Application Deadline: 27 Oct 2025 - 23:59 (Africa/Abidjan)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Offer Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Borrill Group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in the field of Crop Genetics.

About the John Innes Centre:

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet, sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game-changing impact of our science globally.

The Borrill group aims to harness the genetic potential of polyploid wheat for crop improvement. They are interested in understanding the contributions of individual homoeologs and how differences in homoeolog expression levels contribute to phenotype.

The role:

The Borrill group seeks a postdoctoral researcher to investigate the genetic control of cold tolerance in bread wheat. The post-holder will design, optimise and carry out experiments comparing responses of cold-susceptible and cold-resistant wheat lines. They will exploit homoeolog-aware approaches to discover hidden variation in the polyploid wheat genome. Through established international collaborations, they will produce single-cell genomic data and contribute to gene regulatory network models to predict gene expression associated with cold tolerance. The post-holder will test the model predictions using gene editing and mapping populations.

The ideal candidate:

Candidates should have a PhD in Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, or related discipline and have demonstrated expertise in molecular biology and genetics. Good communication and organisation skills are required, alongside the ability to work both independently and effectively within a team.

This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Where the successful applicant requires a visa, we will fund the costs for their visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge.

We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.