Research Associate (Creixell Group)

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A postdoctoral position at the University of Cambridge is available for a motivated researcher to develop and apply peptide display technologies to study kinases. The project aims to understand substrate recognition in tyrosine and serine kinases and to inform strategies for selective targeting of signalling proteins.

Applicants should have a PhD in protein biochemistry or a related discipline and at least one first-author publication.

Qualifications

• PhD completed or near completion in protein biochemistry or related field.
• At least one first-author publication (published, under review, or preprint).
• Experience in molecular biology is essential; additional expertise is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply peptide display technologies to study kinases.
• Screen tyrosine and serine kinases to understand substrate recognition.
• Lead manuscript preparation and contribute to grant writing.
• Collaborate across disciplines and mentor junior researchers.
• Advance project leadership and coordinate with international partners.

Skills

Protein biochemistry

Molecular biology

Protein expression/purification

X-ray crystallography

Computational biology

Machine learning

Education

PhD in protein biochemistry

Tools

X-ray crystallography

Job description

A postdoctoral position is available in our laboratory for a talented and motivated researcher interested in developing and applying cutting-edge peptide display technologies to study protein kinases. The project will focus on screening tyrosine and serine kinases to better understand their substrate recognition and ultimately identify new approaches for selectively targeting these important signalling proteins. A key goal will be to use peptide-based insights as a framework for the design of small-molecule therapeutics.

Our laboratory develops technologies that enable the screening and computational analysis of combinatorially complete libraries of protein variants. These approaches are being applied to fundamental questions in cell signalling as well as the development of future therapeutic strategies. This position is funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and involves collaboration with Professor Bill Weiss (UCSF) and Professor Kevan Shokat (UCSF), who will contribute expertise in the translation of screening discoveries into kinase-targeting strategies.

Applicants should have completed, or be close to completing, a PhD in protein biochemistry or a related discipline and have at least one first-author research publication (published, under review, or available as a preprint). Experience in molecular biology is essential, while expertise in areas such as protein crystallography, computational biology, or machine learning would be beneficial. The successful candidate will be able to work independently, respond constructively to feedback, and thrive in a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment.

Joining the lab offers the opportunity to contribute not only to high-impact research projects but also to the continued growth of an ambitious and expanding research programme. The successful candidate will gain experience in project leadership, manuscript preparation, mentorship activities, and grant writing. Although the position is fully funded, we actively support postdoctoral researchers in pursuing independent fellowship funding, and previous members of the lab have successfully secured competitive awards including Marie Sk¿odowska-Curie, Human Frontier Science Program, and EMBO fellowships. Candidates will be encouraged and supported to develop competitive fellowship applications as part of their career development.

We particularly welcome applications from women and /or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our department.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.