Research Associate in Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Dr. Rodriguez-Manzano's group is at the forefront in developing and implementing innovative methods for diagnosing infectious diseases, working at the intersection of hardware, software, and molecular science. Our focus is on molecular diagnostics of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, including drug-resistant pathogens, respiratory infections, febrile illnesses, skin-tropic viruses, and more. We are actively engaged in this field and our research particularly emphasizes addressing the challenges of diagnosing diseases in resource-limited settings.

Current focus areas for this Research Associate in Microbiology and Molecular Biology post are building on and developing capabilities and technologies that are poised to revolutionise medicine, facilitating swift diagnosis across different environments and settings. We focus on the most urgent threats as identified by the UK Health Security Agency (with whom we collaborate via the HPRU in HCAI and AMR) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The post is funded by the Welcome Trust (CAMO-net project) and we are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher, and Dr Rodriguez-Manzano’s group is located at the Centre for Antimicrobial Optimisation (CAMO) within the section of Adult Infectious Disease at Imperial College, Hammersmith campus, bringing together multidisciplinary research on optimising antimicrobial use and infection management. The state-of-the-art laboratories include a data, molecular and mass spectrometry suite, microbiology laboratories and sensor fabrication facilities.

Duties and responsibilities

• You will be joining our team to work on the development and validation of novel methods to increase the throughput of PCR-based testing.


• You will work closely with our multidisciplinary team to develop, optimize and translate high-throughput targeted PCR approaches for the analysis of clinical and environmental samples.


• You will demonstrate strong microbiology (e.g., BSL2) and bioinformatics training (e.g., coding); creativity; rigorous scientific training in design and interpretation of research; experience performing a variety of amplification methods (including isothermal chemistries); sample preparation (e.g., clinical and environmental samples); strong record of prior research accomplishments.

Essential requirements

• Research Associate: Hold or be about to obtain a PhD in Biology, Chemistry, Bioengineering, or equivalent


• Research Assistant: Near completion of a PhD in Biology, Chemistry, Bioengineering, or equivalent

• 
  Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant

• 
  Expertise in a research laboratory environment, including: microbiological methods, nucleic acid amplification methods, BSL2, data analysis


• PCR- and LAMP-based assay design


• Knowledge of laboratory practice, research methods, statistical procedures, methods for diagnostics of infectious diseases


• Excellent communication skills: problem-solving, creative, cooperative

Further information

This is a full time and fixed term post for 18 months. You will be based at the Hammersmith Campus (East Acton).

For further information about the post please contact Dr Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano. j.rodriguez-manzano@imperial.ac.uk.

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 - £41,388 per annum.

Candidates must complete an online job application.

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 which are ultimately aimed towards finding new treatments and making scientific and medical advances, and where there are no satisfactory or reasonably practical alternatives to their use. 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. Find out more about animal research at Imperial.

Documents

• Research Associate Job Description.pdf