Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Imperial jobs site will be temporarily unavailable from 16.00pm Friday 23rd February to 12.00pm Wednesday 28th February as we move to a new Job site platform. 
We will not be accepting applications or advertising vacancies during this period.
Applications started, not yet submitted by 16:00 23rd February will need to be started again on the new platform.
For further information and how to submit an application or set up job alerts again please visit our FAQs for new job site platform transition

Please note the URL (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/ ) will be the same.

Dr Thomas Ouldridge is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join his Principles of Biomolecular Systems group (Principles of Biomolecular Systems | Research groups | Imperial College London).

The appointee will conduct DNA-based experiments as part of the “Neo - Next Generation Molecular Storage” project, which is a European Innovation Council (EIC)-funded collaboration focusing on developing DNA-based data storage, information (re)writing and readout. The main focus of the advertised position is to explore efficient strand-displacement-based mechanisms for writing and rewriting data stored on DNA nanostructures, using only a small number of synthesized oligonucleotides. The strategies used will leverage the Ouldridge group’s expertise in DNA strand displacement, including novel motifs such as handhold-mediated strand displacement.

Under the supervision of Dr Ouldridge, and collaborators Dr Bae and Dr Heinis, the appointee will be responsible for design and implementation of DNA-based systems in the laboratory, leveraging input from across the collaboration. The appointee will analyse results quantitatively and communicate their work externally through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. The appointee will work engage with other members of Dr Ouldridge’s group and the EIC pathfinder collaboration, and assist with student supervision and laboratory management.

Familiarity with at least a subset of the laboratory techniques relevant to DNA nanotechnology (eg. fluorimetry, gel electrophoresis, AFM), and a PhD or equivalent demonstrating a track record of research output based on these skills, is essential. The ideal candidate will have PhD-level expertise in experimental work on DNA-based systems, and will have previously demonstrated the rational design and construction of synthetic molecular systems in peer-reviewed publications. An interest in biophysical principles of molecular systems would be beneficial.

The position is full-time, fixed-term up until end of August 2026. The start date is flexible but ideally as soon as possible.

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £40, 694 - £43,888 per annum.

For more information about the position, please contact Thomas Ouldridge ([email protected]).

Hybrid working may be considered for this role. Staff working in roles that are suitable for hybrid working will normally be expected to work 60% of their time onsite. The opportunity for hybrid working will be discussed at interview.

More information is available on the following web page: Work Location Categories (from 30 September 2023) | Administration and support services | Imperial College London.

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-research/

Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment. We are an Athena SWAN Silver award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident Employer and work in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people.