Grade UE07 £39,347- £46,974
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine/Institute for Regeneration and Repair/Centre for Inflammation Research
Full-Time at 35 hours per week
Fixed-Term for 20 months with opportunity to extend (funding permitting)
The Opportunity:
Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our team working on microbial keratitis, as part of a UKRI Future Leader Fellowship funded research programme. We use an ecosystem approach spanning in vitro and ex vivo disease modelling, biomarker discovery through omics approaches from clinical samples, development and evaluation of novel and repurposed diagnostics and treatment strategies – targeting both the microbe and the host. We work across the bench to the clinic in our approaches.
The work will be conducted in close collaboration with the Aravind Eye Care System, India, the largest eye care system globally and there will be scope for research exchanges.
About you: You will hold a PhD (or near completion) in a relevant biological or life sciences subject (such as microbiology, immunology, pharmacology). You will possess a strong drive for research, imagination and the ability to develop independent insights into the project. You must be organised, highly self-motivated and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You will need to manage your time effectively, be strongly proactive, knowledgeable and able to solve complex problems. Proven track record of independent manuscripts writing, maintaining good laboratory records and knowledge transfer to others is also essential.
Lab skills required: you will have significant technical expertise in the areas of tissue culture, microbiology and molecular techniques (directly or transferrable) for screening drug candidates. There is also the opportunity to use bioinformatics approaches to analyse ocular clinical samples (proteomics, metabolomics, microbiome). These techniques will underpin the development and evaluation of diagnostics and treatments for microbial keratitis by the applicant and within the research team.
About us: We are a young and dynamic research group with the ambition to improve microbial keratitis patient outcomes, based within the Institute for Regeneration and Repair at Edinburgh BioQuarter. Our primary focus is to foster great science and imagination, in an environment that is inclusive, inspirational (and fun). If successful, you will be supported to learn new skills, and to lead projects independently as well as to support our group. We encourage (and support) independent manuscript/grant writing, presentation of data in national/international conferences and attendance to courses that can help with scientific performance/personal development at all levels.
Your skills and attributes for success:
- A PhD (or close to completion) and/or relevant experience as a postdoctoral researcher in immunology, microbiology, pharmacology or a closely allied discipline
- Recognised and substantial technical expertise in own scientific or technical specialism & demonstrated track record of knowledge and skill transfer to others
- Demonstrable experience in cellular biology including primary cell culture, microbiology (bacterial and/or fungal pathogens) and performing relevant assays to measure impact of drugs on the host and the pathogen
- Clearly demonstrated initiative, creativity and effective organisational skills
- An ability to thoroughly document and evaluate data, with a track record of writing papers as evidenced by publications or submitted manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals
- A thorough understanding of health & safety requirements pertinent to the range of pathogens, animal tissues and clinical samples handled within the infection laboratory
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly, orally and in writing
Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens new browser tab).
As a valued member of our team you can expect:
- A competitive salary of £39,347 - £46,974
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options; check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits
Championing equality, diversity and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.
Key notes for applicants
As part of this application, you are required to submit a 2-page CV and a cover letter that clearly explains why you are the most suitable candidate for this position, detailing how you meet each of the essential criteria as outlined on the job description.
The closing date for applications is 15 May 2024.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.
Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be directed towards Dr Beth Mills (beth.mills@ed.ac.uk).
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
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