Post-Doctoral Researcher/ Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher APC Microbiome Ireland

University College Cork; Ireland; On-site; EUR 38,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Irish university is seeking a talented Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral researcher to advance microbiome science. The successful candidate will lead research projects and mentor students, contributing to academic and commercial applications. A PhD in microbiology or related fields is required, alongside strong communication and project management skills. This full-time role offers the chance to innovate in a dynamic research environment.

Benefits

Access to world-class research infrastructure

Mentoring and collaboration opportunities

Supportive environment for career development

Qualifications

• PhD qualification in microbiology, bioinformatics, or related fields.
• Experience in team or project management is desirable.
• Ability to work independently on research projects.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a specified programme of research under Principal Investigator.
• Engage in dissemination of research results.
• Secure competitive research funding.

Skills

Microbiology

Bioinformatics

Immunology

Nutrition

Project Management

Education

PhD in Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Immunology, Nutrition, or related fields

Job description

Organisation/Company University College Cork Department HR Research Research Field Medical sciences » Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Country Ireland Application Deadline 3 Oct 2025 - 12:00 (Europe/Dublin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Please note that this position can be filled at Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral level, depending on qualification and experience of the successful candidate.

The Walter Lab at APC Microbiome Ireland develops nutritional- and microbiome-based therapeutic strategies to improve human health and prevent chronic disease. Within the Microbe Restore consortium, this position will work closely with Professor Liam O’Mahony’s team, which investigates the molecular basis for microbe- and metabolite-mediated modulation of mucosal inflammatory responses. Together, these groups form a dynamic, interdisciplinary hub at the forefront of microbiome research.

The successful candidate will benefit from:

• Access to APC’s world-class research infrastructure in microbiome, immunology, and metabolomics.
• A vibrant academic and industry-facing network that facilitates translation and impact.
• A supportive environment for career development, with mentoring and collaboration across disciplines.

The laboratory of Professor Jens Walter at APC Microbiome Ireland is seeking an outstanding microbiome-focused researcher to take up a Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral appointment. This is a unique opportunity to lead a high-impact research program at the interface of nutrition, microbiology, immunology, and metabolomics, with a major focus on leading the scientific project while translating discoveries at the forefront of microbiome science into applications with commercial potential. This role offers the chance to drive innovation and shape the future of interdisciplinary microbiome science at APC and University College Cork. The Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral will lead and coordinate a portfolio of interdisciplinary projects within the Walter Lab, with the overall goal of translating microbiome research into applications with potential for product development. The initial focus will be on the Microbe Restore program – a large Science Foundation Ireland-funded initiative exploring nutritional and microbiome-based strategies to restore the microbiome for improved human health.

Working closely with Professor Jens Walter and Professor Liam O’Mahony, the Fellow will drive the analysis of collaborative projects that investigate how the gut microbiome influences immune and metabolic responses and explore avenues to translate this research into tangible applications in multiple areas.

This is an exciting senior research opportunity for a candidate ready to take a leadership role in cutting-edge microbiome science. You will not only contribute to high-impact discoveries but also help shape the strategic direction of interdisciplinary research at APC, mentor the next generation of scientists, and develop innovative, translational solutions for human health. The role also offers the opportunity to contribute to the commercialisation of microbiome research, including potential university spin-out activities.

Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI’s. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework | Irish Universities Association

The title of Post-Doctoral Research will apply to newly qualified Post-Doctoral Researchers and will be considered as a period of training as the researcher will have dual goals in terms of the research project and their own career development. The researcher will be mentored by a Principal Investigator (PI).It is expected that a researcher would spend no more than 3 years at the Post Doctoral level, subject to the term of the project and would then be eligible to compete for a Senior Post Doctoral post advertised by the University.

The Post-Doctoral/Senior Post-Doctoral phase has an expected duration up to a maximum of 6 years, subject to the term of the project, on a full-time or part-time basis. Movement to the grade of Senior Post-Doctoral researcher in the University will be by competing for an advertised post. External appointments made directly to Senior Post-Doctoral research positions must have previous post-doctoral experience of at least 3 years.

Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI’s. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework | Irish Universities Association

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• To conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of a Principal Investigator/Project Leader.
• To engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator, School or College in order to develop research skills and competencies.
• To gain experience in grant writing.
• To engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of and under the supervision of a Principal Investigator.
• To become familiar with the publication process.
• To acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management, business skills and postgraduate mentoring/supervision).
• To engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group, School or College.
• To interact closely with postgraduate research students who are studying for a Masters or a PhD and possibly have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day-to-day research in conjunction with an academic supervisor.
• To carry out administrative work to support the programme of research.
• To carry out additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
• To contribute to costing research grant proposals and assist in the financial management of a research project.

Selection Criteria:

• A PhD qualification in microbiology, bioinformatics, immunology, nutrition, or microbiota-related fields.

• Appropriate technical competence and accomplishment.

• A capability of working within a project team to achieve results.

• Good communication, organisation and interpersonal skills.

• A commitment to gaining practical experience working on a research project.

• Ability to work well within a team.

• A passion for innovation, interdisciplinarity, and advancing microbiome science.

• A strong interest in translational research and innovation, with the ambition to bridge fundamental discovery and application.

• Capacity to work independently on research projects.

• Experience with multi-omics integration, immunology, or microbiome-host interactions is highly desirable.

• Experience in team or project management highly desirable.

Please note that Garda vetting and international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.

SENIOR POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER

SENIOR POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER is an advanced research training role, building on their prior experience as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in UCC or elsewhere, where you will conduct a specified programme of research and research training under the guidance of a Principal Investigator. The primary purpose of the role is to deliver research results and objectives, develop new or advanced research skills and competencies, the successful development of funding proposals and to interact in the supervision and mentorship of graduate students, in conjunction with an academic supervisor.

The Post-Doctoral/Senior Post-Doctoral phase has an expected duration up to a maximum of 6 years, subject to the term of the project, on a full-time or part-time basis.Movement to the grade of Senior Post-Doctoral researcher in the University will be by competing for an advertised post. External appointments made directly to Senior Post-Doctoral research positions must have previous post-doctoral experience of at least 3 years.

Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI’s. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework | Irish Universities Association

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• To conduct and lead a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of a Principal Investigator/Project Leader.
• To secure competitive research funding for research proposals
• To engage in appropriate and professional development opportunities as required by your Principal Investigator, School or College.
• To assume a role in the design as well as the execution of research, contributing significantly to the development of research proposals and funding successes.
• To support the Principal Investigator and research group in the design and development of a research programme.
• To engage in the dissemination of the results of the research, as directed by and with the support of and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
• To engage in the wider research activities of the Research Group, School or College.
• To interact closely with postgraduate research students who are studying for a Masters or a PhD and have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day-to-day research in conjunction with the supervisor or supervision team.
• To conduct administrative and management work associated with the research project.
• To carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
• To engage in costing research grant proposals and take on financial management of projects.
• To lead and coordinate scientific activities across teams and collaborators.
• To drive computational analysis of multi-omics datasets from human and translational studies.
• To explore translational opportunities and facilitate the development of applications with potential for commercial impact.
• To ensure scientific excellence, reproducibility, and data integrity.
• To contribute to dissemination, impact, and policy-related outputs,
• To contribute to innovation and commercialisation activities within the group.

Specific Requirements

Selection Criteria:

• A PhD qualification in microbiology, bioinformatics, immunology, nutrition, or microbiota-related fields.
• Extensive competence and experience in a research area.
• Supervisory skills.
• Leadership potential.
• Experience of applying for and securing funding.
• A passion for innovation, interdisciplinarity, and advancing microbiome science.
• A strong interest in translational research and innovation, with the ambition to bridge fundamental discovery and application.
• Capacity to work independently on research projects.
• Experience with multi-omics integration, immunology, or microbiome-host interactions is highly desirable.
• Experience in team or project management is desirable.

Please note that Garda vetting and international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.