Research Associate in Membrane Protein Folding​ x2

About us

Our contemporary Chemistry Department, based in the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences, provides an exciting place to explore the boundaries of the subject. The Department champions the discipline of Chemistry across King’s, leading with its own research and teaching, and encourages close interdisciplinary collaborations.

Our PGT and UG programmes have been designed to impart a rigorous theoretical & experimental understanding of chemistry, delivered within the context of biomedical applications. We strive to provide students with a thorough chemical education plus a perspective on, and experience of, diverse practical applications of chemistry that lays down a basis for a flexible, interesting career, particularly at the interface of chemistry and biomedicine.

To obtain further information about our Department, please visit our website.

About the role

There are two fixed-term Postdoctoral Research Associate positions available in the group of Professor Paula Booth. One position is for up to 14 months, and the other is up to 20 months (with funding available until 30 August 2026) – both with the potential for extension. The research will focus on the folding & biogenesis of integral membrane proteins.

This is part of a long-term multi-disciplinary project investigating the co-translational folding of membrane proteins using innovative approaches across biochemistry, biophysics, cell-biology & chemistry.

The post-holder will work within a vibrant research laboratory and will be able to direct their work and collaborate with other lab members and external research groups. They will also be able to develop new approaches to investigate membrane protein folding. The successful candidate will work in Professor Booth’s laboratories at King’s College London and the Frances Crick Institute. They will also be able to participate in exciting new research initiatives as part of King’s new interdisciplinary research centre for the Physical Science of Life.

The successful candidate will need a PhD in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry or a related field, & experience with membrane proteins, folding kinetics, Infra-Red spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, computational methods, molecular biology, unnatural amino acids, cell-free approaches or membrane protein biogenesis & insertion would be an advantage.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills & experience:

Please note that all applications must be accompanied by a supporting statement. Within that statement, all of the below essential criteria must be addressed.

Essential criteria

• PhD qualified in relevant subject area (or pending results) – this includes a PhD in Biophysics, Biochemistry, Chemistry or related disciplines.
• Relevant practical research experience with one or more of the following: proteins / folding / biochemical / biophysical methods, laboratory skills & ability to use/manage lab instrumentation.
• Strong track record in biophysics, biochemistry, membrane proteins or field related to project, according to experience.
• Experience in experiment design, scientific presentations and publication preparation.

Desirable criteria

• Experience with cell free protein expression, cell extract systems or co-translational protein folding.
• Experience with membrane proteins.
• Experience with mutational analyses, labelling pr unnatural amino acid incorporation into proteins.
• Experience with some of: membrane proteins, protein folding, optical methods, kinetics, biophysical approaches, fluorescence, infrared, HDX-MS.
• Experience with data analysis & programming.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role & the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

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