Senior Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Bioinformatics

Location:  -  Oxford Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ

Salary: -  Research Grade 8: Salary in range £48,235 - £57,255 per annum. This is inclusive of a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,500 per year.  

We are seeking to appoint a collaborative and self-motivated Senior Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Bioinformatics to develop and apply bioinformatic workflows to analyse immunopeptidomics data for the identification, prediction and prioritization of cancer-specific and immunogenic antigens as part of a multi-team initiative to design and deliver cancer-preventing vaccines jointly led by the University of Oxford and GSK. 

GlaxoSmithKline and Oxford University (GO) launched the PRECIsE Alliance (Pre-Cancer Biology and Immunoprevention) in 2025 with the aim of conducting deep exploration of precancers to identify their molecular vulnerabilities and developing methods to intercept them. Within Oxford, the alliance spans multiple departments and networks basic science (including spatial biology, genomics, proteomics, immunopeptidomics), immunology (including machine learning, bioinformatics, preclinical validation) and clinical development (including trial design and delivery and regulatory approval) expertise as well as community engagement. This truly multi-disciplinary initiative seeks to transform cancer by actively preventing it from developing, initially in people at highest risk of the disease and later in the wider population. 

The applicant will join the T-cell Epitope Discovery Group led by Dr. Eleni Adamopoulou, within the Centre for Immuno-Oncology directed by Professor Timothy Elliott. 

You will be responsible for selecting, curating and mining publicly available datasets for novel cancer-specific antigens, employing in-house methods and to develop new pipelines to integrating data generated on multiple platforms (i.e Immunopeptidomics, whole genome sequencing, single cell RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, spectral flow cytometry) with a view to establishing immunological correlates from precancerous lesions to advanced cancers. You will work synergistically with other members of the research team, and across the network of teams in the Alliance sharing ideas, expertise and research resources.

It is essential that you hold a PhD/DPhil in biology, bioinformatics or related field and have experience of multiple bioinformatic approaches applied to immunology. You will also have experience in developing new bioinformatic pipelines, experience of computational biology as well as coding in multiple languages (R and Python essential). Ability to contribute to determining future directions for the research project, ability to take initiative in developing new bioinformatic approaches, and effective communication skills are essential to the role. Postdoctoral experience in developing bioinformatic pipelines for the discovery of cancer antigens and a deep understanding of mechanistic immunology, with previous research in the field of antigen processing/presentation or mmunopeptidomics are highly desirable. 

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application. Your supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. 

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract for 2 years and is funded by the GSK. 

Only applications received before 12 midday on 23 April 2025 will be considered. Please quote 178632 on all correspondence.

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