Research Associate

SONICOM; Greater London; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development days: 10

Sector-leading salary & 41 days off

Diversity & staff networks

Job summary

Imperial College London is seeking a Post Doctoral Researcher to join the Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro Lab as part of the PROPEL project, developing sustainable biomanufacturing technologies at Imperial’s Bioengineering department.

You will work on engineering Yarrowia lipolytica to produce high-value lipids, designing novel cell factories and advancing circular bioeconomy strategies with international collaborators. Immediate start, fixed-term up to 2 years.

Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent) in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or a related discipline.
• Experience in molecular biology, microbial engineering or metabolic engineering.
• Experience working with yeast or other microbial systems (desirable).
• Knowledge of synthetic biology, genome engineering or fermentation processes.

Responsibilities

• Undertake research within the Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro Laboratory for lipid production.
• Engineer yeast strains and optimise metabolic pathways for lipid biosynthesis.
• Develop and optimise fermentation and bioprocess strategies.
• Analyse data and present findings at meetings and conferences.
• Collaborate with PROPEL consortium researchers and contribute to deliverables, publications and grant applications.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organisational skills

Independent and collaborative work

Education

PhD or equivalent in Bioengineering/related field

Job description

Job number ENG04019 Faculties Faculty of Engineering Departments Department of Bioengineering Salary or Salary range £50,733 - £59,484 per annum Location/campus South Kensington and White City Campus - On site only Contract type work pattern Full time - Fixed term Posting End Date 20 Sept 2026

About the role

Are you passionate about engineering biology and developing sustainable solutions to address global environmental challenges?

We are seeking an ambitious and highly motivated Post Doctoral Researcher to join the Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London as part of the PROPEL project, an exciting European collaborative initiative developing next-generation sustainable biomanufacturing technologies.

The successful candidate will join the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub, internationally recognised centres driving innovation in engineering biology, precision fermentation and sustainable food systems. Working within a multidisciplinary and collaborative research environment, you will contribute to pioneering research at the interface of synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, microbial biotechnology and bioprocess engineering.

This role will focus on engineering the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica to produce high-value lipids using state-of-the-art synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches. You will design and construct novel microbial cell factories, optimise metabolic pathways and develop sustainable bioprocesses that contribute to a circular bioeconomy.

As part of the PROPEL consortium, you will contribute to developing innovative biological manufacturing platforms that transform renewable and waste-derived carbon sources into valuable bio-based products. The project aims to establish sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived materials by combining advances in synthetic biology, fermentation and waste valorisation, helping accelerate Europe's transition towards greener manufacturing.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research with real-world environmental impact while working alongside leading academic and industrial collaborators across Europe.

What you would be doing

You will undertake research within the Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro Laboratory, contributing to the development of sustainable microbial cell factories for lipid production.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica using synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches.
• Designing, constructing and characterising engineered yeast strains for lipid biosynthesis.
• Developing and optimising fermentation and bioprocess strategies.
• Analysing experimental data and presenting findings at group meetings and scientific conferences.
• Collaborating with researchers across the PROPEL consortium and contributing to project deliverables, publications and future grant applications.

What we are looking for

• PhD (or equivalent) in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or a related discipline.
• Experience in molecular biology, microbial engineering or metabolic engineering.
• Experience working with yeast or other microbial systems (desirable).
• Knowledge of synthetic biology, genome engineering or fermentation processes.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an international research environment.

What we can offer you

• Opportunity to work on research addressing sustainable food and biomanufacturing challenges
• A collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• As a member of research staff you have 10 development days to use to develop your skills and explore your career prospects
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with variousstaff networks and resources to support your personal and professionalwellbeing .

Further information

This post is available immediately for up to 2 years in the first instance, with any extension subject to research funding.

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.