Research Fellow in Experimental Biology and Biotechnology

23 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Research Field

Biological sciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

United Kingdom

Application Deadline

14 Apr 2024 - 00:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Other

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

School/Department: School of Water, Energy and Environment
Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work: 37
Contract type: Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period: until 13 February 2029
Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £37,337 to £39,316 per annum
Apply by: 14/04/2024

Role Description

Research Fellow in Experimental Biology and Biotechnology

This position is part of the recently funded UKRI funded Engineering Biology Programme Grant “EBIC: Environmental Biotechnology and Innovation Centre”, a collaboration between 11 universities including Cranfield, Bangor, Brunel, East Anglia, Edinburgh, Essex, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, Newcastle, and Southampton, as well as more than two dozen industry and academic partners.

You will join highly applied interdisciplinary project at the intersection of synthetic biology, environmental engineering, and biotechnology. We aim to explore cutting-edge techniques from synthetic biology, biotechnology, and engineering science to develop innovative solutions in bioengineering and bioremediation. With a team of experts from diverse fields, we are on a mission to bridge the gap between engineering biology research and practical applications, ensuring that our findings translate into meaningful actions that make a substantial and measurable difference in the world. The project has the real potential to go far beyond fundamental research and has the potential to evolve into a real enterprise in the near future.

This fast-paced project will give you the opportunity to develop new skills by working closely with our interdisciplinary team and build their international profile including via work with our academic and SME collaborators.

This position offers the unique opportunity to be part of highly applied research activities with significant environmental and social impact. You will have an opportunity to work together within a team of microbiologists, environmental engineers, chemists, experimental biologists and bioinformaticians, to develop novel engineering biology strategies for environmental applications in the water and waste sectors and explore untapped biology of diverse microorganisms.

About the Role

We are looking for a passionate and skilled environmental scientist with a specialisation in microbial biotechnology, engineering biology, synthetic biology, molecular biology, metabolic engineering, (or equivalent).

As a part of EBIC, this role will provide research and technical support in general molecular biology and biochemistry activities with a focus on establishing an experimental and analytical pipeline aimed at accelerating synthetic biology, microbial chassis, and engineering biology applications for environmental biotechnologies across the water and waste sectors. Your responsibilities will include actively contributing to the development and scaling up of effective solutions through advancements in biological detection and reporting, engineering enzymes for targeted degradation, and enhancing bioengineered biofilms resilience and efficiency using advanced genetic tools.

As a Research Fellow, you will also contribute to a wide range of activities which result in the scale-up, technical transfer, validation of bioengineering technologies.

About You

You should preferably possess a PhD (or be close to completion) in biotechnology or a related scientific discipline, although candidates with a master's or bachelor's degree in biotechnology or a related field, coupled with significant additional experience, will also be considered.

Demonstrable expertise in biotechnology or a related field is essential, along with theoretical and practical knowledge in various (bio)analytical methods. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills are required, as well as proficiency in experimental design, execution, and data analysis. Practical experience in operating lab-based and semi-pilot bioengineered systems, such as bioreactors and chemostats, is preferred.

Knowledge of environmental biotechnology applied and environmental microbiology, and analytical monitoring and environmental diagnostics at least at the bachelor's degree level is necessary. Familiarity with health and safety legislation relevant to the role is also expected.

About Us

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here .

You will be associated with the Water theme, home to the Water-Environment-Health-Nexus group and the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre  led by Prof Frederic Coulon. This centre is committed to tackling the escalating challenges of environmental stewardship and sustainability within the interconnected realms of water, soil, and waste. Considering the global trends such as rapid urbanisation and climate change, sustainable resource management confronts unprecedented risks. The nexus approach recognizes the intricate links between water, soil, and waste, underlining the necessity for coordinated management to navigate sustainable development amidst these complexities.

Guided by this imperative for integration, Cranfield has cultivated a transdisciplinary research community, facilitating knowledge sharing among experts specialising in diverse facets of the nexus. This collaborative milieu empowers us to embrace a holistic perspective in our research activities, promoting integrated and sustainable resource management. With expertise spanning environmental biotechnology, engineering biology, water and waste treatment, and remediation, our centre is well-equipped to address these intricate challenges. Find out more about our work here .

Our Values and Commitments

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here .

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families . Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here .

Working Arrangements

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

How to apply                                   

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact, Professor Frederic Coulon on (T0 01234 754 981: or (E): [email protected]

Apply online now . Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: [email protected] . Please quote reference number 4793.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 14 April 2024

Interviews to be held: week commencing on 22 April 2024

Requirements
Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Country

United Kingdom

City

Bedford

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/unijobs/listing/367982/research-fellow-in-…

Contact

City

Bedford

STATUS: EXPIRED