Research Assistant or Associate in Therapeutic Expression

About the role:

A Research Associate is sought to work on the expression of therapeutic proteins and vaccines in the yeast Pichia pastoris with particular emphasis on virus-like particles and monoclonal antibodies.  The post is part of the UKRI-funded Engineering Biology Mission Hub GlycoCell.

What you would be doing:

The project will involve strain engineering, small-scale production and purification of proteins in bioreactors, and the characterisation of their quality (assembly state, glycosylation, etc). 

What we are looking for:

The following essential knowledge, skills & experience are sought:

• PhD in life sciences, bioengineering, (bio)chemical engineering, biotechnology or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience*
• Practical experience in a broad range of techniques including Pichia pastoris engineering (genetic construct design, transformation, colony selection)
• Practical experience in protein characterisation assays, particularly in the determination of virus-like particle assembly (electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering)
• Knowledge of Pichia pastoris metabolism
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team

The following knowledge, skills & experience is also desirable:

• Practical experience with cell-free protein synthesis to predict in vivo expression levels of candidate proteins
• Practical experience with small-scale fermentation using bioreactors

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Grow your career: gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further Information

The post is a fixed term contract for 18 months with possibility of extension.

*Applicants who already hold a PhD will be considered for appointment as at the Research Associate level (£48,056 - £56,345).  Applicants who have not yet officially been awarded their PhD will be considered at the Research Assistant level (£43,003 - £46,297) with ability to move to the Research Associate level upon award of the PhD.

To apply, please complete the online application, by clicking the 'Apply' button, above.

If you require any further details about the role, please contact:

Prof Karen Polizzi (k.polizzi@imperial.ac.uk)                                                                      

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

If you experience any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

About Imperial

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Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. 

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