Senior Research Associate in Control Engineering/Engineering Biology

Corehr; Oxford; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel schemes

Family-friendly benefits

University Club membership

Staff discounts

Job summary

University of Oxford seeks a senior researcher to contribute to the EPSRC-funded EE Bio Programme Grant. The role involves collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team in Engineering Science, and coordination with Imperial College and the University of Bristol to advance synthetic/engineering biology technologies.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD/DPhil and bring strong computational and modelling expertise, with excellent communication skills for cross-disciplinary work.

Qualifications

• PhD/DPhil in control engineering, mathematical biology or engineering/synthetic biology.
• Strong computational and data analysis skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication; able to work in an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team across engineering, biology, mathematics, robotics, control and AI.
• Interface with EPSRC project partners including Imperial College and the University of Bristol.
• Conduct high-quality research advancing reliable biotechnologies in synthetic/engineering biology.

Skills

Control engineering

Mathematical modelling

Engineering Biology

Computational skills

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Education

PhD/DPhil in relevant field

Job description

UK date and time: 11-September-2026 00:04

Department of Engineering Science, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ

About the role

We are seeking a full-time senior researcher to work with the group of Prof Antonis Papachristodoulou at the Department of Engineering Science in central Oxford. The post is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and is fixed-term for up to thirty six months.

This position is part of the recently funded EPSRC Programme Grant “EEBio: Efficient engineering and control of predictable and reliable biotechnologies”, a collaboration between the universities of Oxford, Bristol, and Imperial College as well as several industry and academic partners. The research project will develop new technologies underpinning Synthetic/Engineering Biology, with the goal of transforming the field to add reliability, robustness, and predictability throughout the biological design process.

About you

For this post, candidates with experience in the intersection of Control Engineering, mathematical modelling and Engineering Biology are being sought. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with our interdisciplinary team that includes experts in synthetic biology, mathematics, robotics, control, AI, and biotechnology more broadly, and also interface with EEBio team members at Imperial College and the University of Bristol.

You should hold a PhD/DPhil together with relevant experience at the intersection of control engineering, mathematical biology and Engineering/Synthetic Biology, and strong computational skills. You should have excellent written and oral communication skills and a strong ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team.

What we offer

At the University of Oxford your happiness and wellbeing at work is important to us. We have a number of generous benefits including 38 days' annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and fixed closure days), generous pension schemes and free access to the Oxford colleges.The other benefits include:

• Travel - We have several travel schemes availablefor staffwhich promote sustainable modes of transport.
• Family friendly benefits - We aim to be a family-friendly employer and offer a range of flexible working options. We have some of the most generous family leave provision in the Higher Education sector.
• Sports – We have several schemes to help you stay fit and healthy, including discounted membership of the university sports centre on the Iffley Road
• Personal and professional development - We actively encourage all staff to participate in planning their personal and professional development and provide a broad range of opportunities to enablethemto reach their full potential.
• University club - All staff are entitled to free membership of the University Club. It offers social and hospitality facilities, a small gym and exercise classes.
• Staff discounts - University staff can access shopping discounts in several ways; by purchasing a TOTUM card, by showing an employee pass in selected local stores, or online by using any of the listed discount codes
• Childcare services - We offer excellent childcare services including five University nurseries as well as University-supported places at other local private nurseries.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates who are under‑representative in academic posts in Oxford. The Department is committed to equality and valuing diversity and holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to promoting gender equality in academia. The University is a Living Wage Employer, holds an Athena Swan Silver Award, an HR Excellence in Research and a Race Equality Charter Bronze Award and is a Stonewall Diversity Champion. Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we seek to create a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through our EDI Committee, working groups and networks, for example eng.ox.ac.uk/women-in-engineering , as well as a number of family friendly policies .