Research Fellow

We are seeking an postdoctoral research fellow, based in the Overton group at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR), Queen's University Belfast to carry out original research into the molecular mechanisms of resistance to therapy in Multiple Myeloma - with applications to discover candidate novel drug targets and new indications for existing chemical compounds. Although treatment options for myeloma have improved significantly in recent years, myeloma remains incurable. Even after successful treatment, almost all patients eventually become resistant to existing treatments. New drugs and treatment approaches are urgently needed to prevent or overcome treatment resistance. The successful candidate will design and implement bioinformatics workflows, including for analysis of the rich MMRF CoMMPASS data resources in order to discover network signatures of therapy resistance and to identify vulnerabilities for candidate therapy. Further detail about the Overton group is available at www.overton-lab.uk and https://github.com/overton-group  

The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research mission in cancer research is to improve patient outcomes, train the next generation of scientists/clinicians and enhance the competitiveness of the UK life sciences sector, for further information about the Centre please see: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cancer-research/  

About the person:

The successful candidate must have, and your application should clearly demonstrate that you meet the following criteria:

• Hold (or be about to obtain*) a PhD in research in an appropriate area. (*must be obtained within 3 months of the closing date for the post).
• Hold an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g. Computer Science, Biology, Physics, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics)
• Significant, relevant experience to include:
  • Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new computational tools and techniques
  • Proven track record of research success
  • Experience in at least one of Perl, Python, Java, R or C/C++.

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information.

This post is available for 21 Months. Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

What we offer:

Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work-life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find more detail on this here https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/pay-reward-and-benefits/  

Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.

For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit www.qub.ac.uk/diversity  

Candidate Information

Further information for international applicants