Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow - Protein Complex Assay Design and Development (110336-0225)

Location: University of Warwick Campus, Coventry

Duration: Fixed-term contract for up to 2 years.

About the Role

For informal queries, please email David Roper (Professor) at david.roper@warwick.ac.uk.

Project Title: SEDS Glycosyltransferases as Antibacterial Targets

We wish to recruit a senior postdoctoral researcher with skill sets in the general area of protein biochemistry, enzyme characterisation, assay design and enzyme inhibition studies.

The goal of this project is to develop novel assays suitable for high-throughput screening, which may include FRET based measurements for the quantitate detection and measurement of enzyme activity in relation to the polymerisation of lipid II into peptidoglycan glycan strands by bacterial SEDS-PBP protein complexes.

This project will require a close working and reporting relationship with a major pharmaceutical company funder in a milestone driven project.

The post demands demonstratable time and project management skills and may involve travelling in Europe to meet with the industrial sponsor and would be suitable for applicants with several years postdoctoral experience.

You will join an ambitious interdisciplinary team on an initial 2-year project in which microscopy, biochemistry, molecular biology and microbiology will be used to study and understand the role of this complex in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis in the context of novel antibacterial treatment development.  

The successful applicant will have a strong background in assay development skills.

This will include knowledge and experience of molecular biology and membrane protein purification skill sets that support protein assay discovery and design.

Experience in relation to industry standard perimeters and requirements including assay format miniaturization will be required.

The post will be based within the research group of David Roper at the School of Life Sciences, and is available for up to 2 years. 

Appointments will be made initially at the FA6 (Sp 36) as Research Fellow or FA7 (Sp 37) as Senior Research Fellow / Assistant Professor (Research Focused) of the published Warwick payscale according to experience and skills of the candidate. We reserve the right to make an offer to applicants as Research Fellow, depending on level of experience demonstrated against the essential or desirable criteria.

The academic title for this post is Assistant Professor (Research Focused), but this is a Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow level post and does not involve teaching.

About You

We wish to recruit an experienced postdoctoral level researcher with skill sets in the general area of protein biochemistry, enzyme characterisation, assay design and enzyme inhibition studies.

The successful applicant will have a strong background in enzyme assay development skills.

This will include knowledge and experience of molecular biology and membrane protein purification skill sets that support protein assay discovery and design.

Experience in relation to industry standard perimeters and requirements including assay format miniaturization will be required.

The post demands demonstratable time and project management skills and may involve travelling in Europe to meet with the industrial sponsor and would be suitable for applicants with several years postdoctoral experience in academic of industrial settings.

For further information regarding the skills required for this role please see the personal specification section of the attached job description.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 30 March 2025 at 23:55 (GMT)

Full details of the duties and selection criteria for this role can be found in the vacancy advert on the University of Warwick's jobs pages. You will be routed to this when you click on the Apply button.