Research Fellow on Engineering Biology

Location: South Kensington City

Contract: Full time and Fixed Term 48 months

Job Summary

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Research Fellow to join Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro's dynamic research team. The RLAlab is formed by over 30 motivated and talented researchers working at the interphase of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, with an emphasis on Sustainability, particularly around foods and fermentation

The research projects span from:

1. the development of new tools based on cutting-edge synthetic biology, automation and modelling, and
2. the design and creation of new microbial strains engineered to improve the bioproduction of molecules of interest from renewable feedstocks (e.g. food ingredients) to
3. the investigation and building of synthetic microbial communities with the capacity to become the new frontier in biotechnology, making processes more affordable, robust and efficient.

Duties and responsibilities

You will be part of the newly created Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein. Funded by the Bezos Earth Fund, the $30m Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein will apply cutting-edge Engineering Biology to accelerate the alternative protein revolution and transform global food systems, to make them more sustainable, healthy, resilient and economically viable, by driving a step-change in consumption from conventional meat to alternative proteins.

You will also be involved in one of the six new mission hubs for Engineering Biology funded by UKRI. The first of its kind in the world, the Engineering Biology Hub for Microbial Foods will bring together world-leading academics, industrial partners, food organisations and diverse end-users in a wide-ranging and ambitious programme of work that provides a clear pipeline from fundamental research to commercialisation. The overarching vision of the Hub is to harness the joint potentials of engineering biology and the microbial food revolution to create and deliver a more sustainable, productive, resilient and healthy food system.

You will play a crucial role in supporting the Principal Investigator by coordinating research, supervising projects and students, applying for grants, writing papers, and assisting in managing the research group. Additionally, you will be part of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins and the UKRI Microbial Food Hub.

Essential requirements

We are seeking a highly organised, proactive individual with experience in biotechnology or metabolic engineering and a passion for food innovation. You should bring:

• Strong project management and organisational skills, with experience in coordinating complex multi-stakeholder projects.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven track record in successful grant writing.
• An adaptable approach to problem-solving, with a keen understanding of the evolving opportunities of microbial foods and engineering biology.
• A strategic mindset and initiative to drive projects in a pioneering research group.

Further Information

This is a full time, fixed term for 48 months with the potential for extension and is available for immediate start.

Informal queries relating to the position should be directed to:

Dr Ledesma-Amaro (r.ledesma-amaro@imperial.ac.uk).

Closing Date: 05/02/25

To apply, please click the 'Apply' button, above.

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