Senior Postdoctoral Scientist
Location: The Pirbright Institute
Contract length: FTC until 30/09/2025
Salary: £45,000 - £46,000
About the Role:
This post-doctoral position is within the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Pirbright Livestock Antibody Hub (the hub) and as part of the Immunogenetics group. The hub is exploiting recent advances in our understanding of B-cell responses to better understand the protective immune response in livestock and poultry. We are addressing the needs of the research community and bridge the requirements of the vaccine industry.
The hub supports rational vaccinology approaches, antibody-based treatment and prophylaxis as well as increasing the applicability of animals as models for human disease and treatment.
We are now recruiting a Senior Postdoctoral Scientist to study the cattle antibody response to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) antigens, aiming to enhance efficacy.
This post will play a leading role in driving the use of state-of-the-art techniques and technologies (flow cytometry, FMDV-specific ELISpot, biolayer interferometry…) and coordinate projects to understand the B cell and antibody responses at molecular detail.
This role sits within a larger team working on antibody responses in livestock that includes specific expertise in bioinformatics, recombinant antibody production and structural biology. The post-holder will report to the Interim Group Leader of the Immunogenetics group.
All employees shall actively participate in the Institute-wide quality assurance system in conjunction with the Institute’s Quality Manager. Employees are also expected to safeguard their own health and safety and security by following policies and all employees are responsible for the Health and Safety and security of staff under their management.
Main duties and responsibilities
Responsible for leading research projects, which will include (60%):
- Conduct research in an independent and collaborative manner.
- Design experiments, and optimize assays studying cattle responses to vaccination and vaccination.
- Analyze and compile data from multiple experiments (e.g. Flow cytometry, Biolayer interferometry, ELISpots, Sequencing, 10X genomics).
- Characterize and link whole antibody repertoire data to single B cell data.
- Work closely with bioinformaticians to predict specificity of antibodies from whole repertoire clustering.
- Lead projects on cattle B cell development and antibody repertoire generation.
Project coordination, which will include (30%):
- Line manage junior members of the team and provide guidance to other members as appropriate, in particular in experimental design and planning.
- Oversee multiple projects and sub projects on antigen-specific antibody discovery.
- Disseminate research findings in high quality, peer-reviewed journals and at internal, national and international meetings.
Contribute to the overall research group (10%):
- Sit on committees, steering groups and other meetings as appropriate.
- Contribute to lab management, lab-related logistics and audits.
- Contribute to outreach activities with a range of different audiences.
Personal specification
-
Intellectually engaged and results driven with a clear ability to time manage between multiple projects.
- Excellent collaboration skills.
- Adaptability in adjusting to changing priorities
- Attention to detail.
- Able to problem solve and be creative in generating a solution.
- Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
- Able to advise peers and less experienced members of staff with regards to professional integrity and good research practice.
- Setting a good example in science practice for more junior members of the team.
Essential/Desirable requirements
Essential
- A PhD in Immunology or other relevant branch of biosciences.
- Significant and relevant experience in a recognised R&D environment.
- Experience with cellular and molecular biology.
- Detailed knowledge and experience working with B cells, antibodies and functions.
- A broad understanding of immunology and antigen receptors.
- A publication record commensurate to the applicant’s career stage.
- Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with team members and other scientists.
Desirable
- Experience with biolayer interferometry.
- Experience with flow cytometry.
- Experience working with multiple teams.
- Experience with 10X Genomics platform.
- Experience in grant writing and project management.
All successful applicants will be required to go through a comprehensive screening process including reference and qualification checks, financial and security clearances.
All overseas applicants should consider applying for the position as this position has potential for VISA sponsorship by the Institute.