Postdoctoral Research Associate in Chemistry

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate who would like to be part of our project on single molecule proteomics, through nanometric analyses for a period of up to three years. The project, which has been awarded £5.5m by the BBSRC, involves a multidisciplinary team in Oxford, Liverpool and Cambridge and is led by Professor Justin Benesch. The team you will be part of aims to develop and apply a novel approach for identifying proteins and their common modifications. Seemingly subtle protein modifications, such as phosphorylation, can drastically alter a protein’s function. However, these modifications are difficult to detect with existing technology – meaning they remain largely hidden. The new approach will help scientists to better understand how proteins function in health and disease. 

This role will be based in the Department of Chemistry and will integrate into the team working on this project that are under the collective direction of Profs Benesch, Aarts, Bayley, Krishnan, Kukura, and Qing. The team is focussed on the integration of three main technologies (nanopore sensing, mass photometry, and escape-time electrometry) to perform multidimensional analyses of proteins, ultimately performing single molecule measurements of mass, charge, and chemical profiles in a complex biological mixtures.

This position is motivated by the fact that integration of these technologies requires the development of novel micro- and nanofluidic approaches. You will design and fabricate micro/nanofluidic devices in Si, glass and PDMS using cleanroom-based nanofabrication processes and demonstrate their operation using single molecule optical microscopy and electrical measurements.

About you:

Applicants must hold a PhD in Physics, Chemistry, or a related area or be close to completion, prior to taking up your appointment. You should have experience in working in clean-room environments and be experienced in microfluidic device design and fabrication as well as clean-room workflows. You should be able to demonstrate interest in developing new technologies for single molecule measurements of biological molecules and a basic knowledge in single molecule optical microscopy or electrochemistry. You will join a growing interdisciplinary team and be expected to contribute to the day-to-day operation of the cleanroom facility, training of new users and assisting with the development of new fabrication processes.

You will be expected to manage your own academic research and administrative activities. This involves small scale project management, co-ordinating multiple aspects of work to meet deadlines.

Applications are welcome from candidates who don’t currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a visa. 

Application Process:

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your application.  In your supporting statement, please explain how you meet each of the selection criteria found in the job description.   

Certificates, references and research papers should not be provided at this stage.

As part of the online application, you will be required to upload a CV, and a supporting statement (<5 pages) setting out how you meet the selection criteria and your reasons for interest in this particular post.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 midday, 23 May 2024 UK time. Interviews will be held as soon as possible thereafter. 

The University of Oxford and The Department of Chemistry are Silver Athena SWAN holders.  Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and ethnic minority candidates, who are under-represented in Chemistry research posts in Oxford.