Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Job description
Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy
The above UKRI funded, full-time post is available on a fixed term basis from 1st of July 2023 until 30th of June 2027 in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, within the Environment and Sustainability Institute, on the Cornwall campus.
The post
The College wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in a project on the role of phage communication systems for phage lysis/lysogeny decisions. Specifically, it was recently demonstrated that phages produce communication molecules that determine whether phage will lyse their bacterial host or whether the phage instead enter into lysogeny, with different phages using different communication molecules. This project aims to study the evolutionary ecology of viral communication systems, building on previous work by the team (Bruce et al Curr Biol 2021), and will be based at the Penryn campus of the University of Exeter, which has state-of-the-art facilities for Microbiology research. You will be part of a thriving community of Microbiologists who studying various aspects of bacteria-phage interactions and microbial evolution and ecology. The successful applicant will combine experimental evolution, molecular microbiology and theoretical approaches to understand how communication systems evolve, using Bacillus species and their phages as a model.
The post will include designing and executing experiments, analysing and interpreting data, writing manuscripts, and presenting results at conferences and meetings.
About you
The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.
Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in Microbiology and/or Phage biology and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required. Applicants will be able to demonstrate strong skills and expertise in experimental techniques relevant to the project, data analysis and writing.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.
What we can offer you
- Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
- Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
- An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
- Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
- A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a new Fertility Treatment Policy
- A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Cornwall.
The University of Exeter
We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 150 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 and QS World University Ranking 2022). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2017.
Our research income in recent years means we’re the fastest growing UK Research University with some of the world’s most influential scientists, and we seek to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today through this. 98% of our research is of international quality (2014 Research Excellence Framework). We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
With over 27,000 students and 6,400 staff from 180 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. Reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.
For further information please contact Prof. Edze Westra, e-mail [email protected].
The closing date for completed applications is 30 April 2023. Interviews are expected to take place in the week of 15-19 May.
