Research Associate in Long-Wavelength Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Imperial Enterprise; Greater London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

43 days off per year

Generous pension scheme

Job summary

Imperial College London in London is seeking a Research Associate to explore long-wavelength oxygenic photosynthesis, focusing on chlorophyll-f variants in photosystems. You will apply interdisciplinary biochemistry, biophysics, spectroscopy, and structural biology techniques to address key questions in the field.

The role offers collaboration across Imperial, the UK, and international partners, with opportunities to contribute to energy policy insights and to advance understanding of

Qualifications

• Experience with biophysical methods on photosystems or bioenergetic complexes.
• Experience with isolation/characterisation of membrane protein complexes.
• Experience in cyanobacteria microbiology/molecular biology.

Responsibilities

• Apply interdisciplinary methods to address current burning questions in photosynthesis.
• Collaborate with Imperial colleagues and external groups in the UK and abroad.
• Contribute to energy policy insights and related activities where appropriate.

Skills

Biophysical methods

Spectroscopy

Bioenergetics

Membrane protein complexes

Microbiology

Education

PhD in Biochemistry/Biophysics

Tools

Cryo-EM

Spectroscopy equipment

Molecular biology tools

Job description

Research Associate in Long-Wavelength Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Biochemical/biophysical research in a field-leading team on one of the hottest areas of photosynthesis research: the recently discovered, low-energy chlorophyll-f variants of the photosystems. Structure/function studies on this system have provided surprises and a new angle from which to view and understand oxygenic photosynthesis: the process that puts the energy into the biosphere.

What you would be doing

You will use a combination of interdisciplinary methods to solve the current burning questions in the field. These methods include biochemistry, biophysics, spectroscopy, molecular bioenergetics, redox methods, structural biology (e.g., cryo-EM), molecular biology, molecular enzymology, evolutionary considerations, and comparative work with other photosystems and other reaction centres.

You will have the opportunity not only to assimilate in-house expertise but also to gain further experience through collaborative work (on theory, computational chemistry, other spectroscopies, etc) elsewhere in Imperial, the UK, and abroad. The team’s energy accounting expertise has also allowed insights useful for energy policy; you are welcome to contribute to these activities.

What we are looking for

Ideally, you would have specific experience of the subject, as described below and in the job description as being “desirable”.

• Practical experience of biophysical methods on the photosystems and or bioenergetic complexes (spectroscopy, electrochemical approaches, structural approaches, etc).
• Practical experience in isolation and characterisation of the membrane protein complexes of bioenergetics.
• Practical experience in microbiology and molecular biology of cyanobacteria.

However, excellent candidates with less direct experience of the specific field or with other relevant expertise will be considered (see job description).

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to work in a world leading group on what is arguably the hottest subject in the field: long wavelength oxygenic photosynthesis.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing .

Further information

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant.

The candidate is expected to start preferably before February 2027.

The team is currently 3 grad students, 2 post docs, 2 staff, 1 technician/lab manager, usually a few masters and UG students. We share lab facilities and office space with 3 other groups with related interests and other expertise. We work closely with a group in physics on theory and experiments and have several established collaborations with other spectroscopy and theory groups in the UK and abroad.

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.

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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 .

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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.