Research Associate in Functional Genomics and Antifungal Target Discovery (Candida auris)

Imperial Enterprise; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development and training

Collaborations and networking

Flexible working policy

Cycle-to-work scheme

Season ticket loan

Job summary

Imperial College London is seeking a Research Associate to join an AI-driven antifungal drug discovery program targeting Candida auris. You will work at the interface of fungal genetics, chemical biology and machine learning, contributing to discovery of novel targets with minimal human toxicity risk.

You will lead chemoproteomic profiling, develop CRISPR-based annotations, and perform high-throughput screens while collaborating across disciplines and institutions.

Qualifications

• Practical experience in fungal or yeast molecular biology and genetic manipulation.
• Experience with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing techniques.
• Understanding of fungal biology and/or medical mycology.
• Experience of international, multidisciplinary collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead chemoproteomic profiling of Candida auris to identify druggable sites.
• Develop and apply CORe CRISPR-based annotation of targets.
• Design and deliver high-throughput CRISPR knockout screens to define gene essentiality.
• Collaborate with computational colleagues to integrate multi-omics data for target prioritisation.
• Contribute to evolutionary and toxicity profiling of prioritised targets.
• Work with Imperial, University of Dundee, GSK and Cultivarium teams.
• Prepare manuscripts, present findings at conferences, and assist grant proposals.
• Supervise the project’s Research Assistant and students.

Skills

Fungal biology

CRISPR/Cas9

Genetic manipulation

International collaboration

Education

PhD in molecular microbiology or related field

Job description

Research Associate in Functional Genomics and Antifungal Target Discovery (Candida auris)

We are seeking an outstanding and highly motivated Research Associate to join a multidisciplinary team building an AI-driven antifungal drug discovery platform targeting Candida auris, a World Health Organization critical priority fungal pathogen.

Funded by the Wellcome Trust and delivered in partnership with the Fleming Initiative, GSK, the University of Dundee and the Cultivarium, this project combines chemoproteomics, CRISPR-based functional genomics and machine learning to identify novel, druggable antifungal targets with minimal human toxicity risk. The post offers an exceptional opportunity to work at the interface of fungal genetics, chemical biology and AI-driven drug discovery, contributing to a programme tackling rising antifungal resistance.

What you would be doing

• Lead chemoproteomic profiling of cysteine reactivity in Candida auris to identify druggable, electrophile-sensitive sites.
• Develop and apply CRISPR-based oligo recombineering (CORe) to functionally annotate candidate drug targets.
• Design and deliver high-throughput CRISPR knockout screens to define gene essentiality across C. auris clades.
• Collaborate with computational colleagues to integrate genomic, chemoproteomic and machine learning datasets for target prioritisation.
• Contribute to evolutionary and toxicity profiling of prioritised targets to inform target selection.
• Work closely with collaborating groups across Imperial, the University of Dundee, GSK and the Cultivarium.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication, present findings at conferences, and contribute to grant development.
• Support supervision of the project's Research Assistant and students in the laboratory.

What we are looking for

The candidate must hold a PhD in Molecular Microbiology, Fungal Biology, Chemical Biology, Genomics or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience. *Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant. We are seeking someone with

• Practical experience in fungal or yeast molecular biology and genetic manipulation.
• Experience with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing techniques.
• Understanding of fungal biology and/or medical mycology.
• Experience of international, multidisciplinary collaboration.

For a full person specification, please see the job description

What we can offer you

• As a Research Associate in the Department of Infectious Disease, you will benefit from a highly supportive, internationally recognised research environment and exceptional opportunities for scientific and career development. We offer:
• World-class research environment
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities including advanced flow cytometry platforms, CL2 mycology laboratories, and computational infrastructure for multi-omic data analysis.
• Integration within a vibrant multidisciplinary team spanning fungal biology, immunology, systems biology, and clinical infectious diseases.

Career development and training

• Tailored development plans and regular mentoring by senior investigators.
• Opportunities to attend internal and external training courses, including advanced microscopy, flow cytometry, bioinformatics, machine learning, and leadership development.
• Support for presenting your work at national and international conferences and for contributing to publications and grant proposals.
• Experience supervising MSc and PhD students, building your teaching and mentorship portfolio.

Collaboration and networking

• Close collaboration with the Dundee Drug Discovery Unit, GSK’s AI/ML and anti-infectives drug discovery teams, and the Cultivarium synthetic biology incubator.
• Opportunities to engage with the Fleming Initiative, UKRI consortia, and international fungal research networks.
• Competitive salary, sector-leading benefits, and career development support.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity
• Benefit from sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including generous leave and pension schemes)
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and a cycle-to-work scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel
• To be part of a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources designed to support your personal and professional wellbeing .

Further information

Full-time, fixed-term contract for 3 years in the first instance. Expected start date: January 2027.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have not yet been officially awarded will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £45,399 - £48,876 per annum.

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.

If you have any general queries about this vacancy, please contact the hiring manager listed in the ‘Further Information’ section. Alternatively, you can contact the Recruitment Hub at [e-mail], and we will be happy to assist you.

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, eliminating discrimination, and 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 .

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