Research Associate - Biochemical and structural analysis of bacterial protein toxins

Salary: £35,116 - £45,413 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 30 April 2025

The role

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher in functional and structural analysis of bacterial protein toxins for this exciting project. You will be part of the Microbes in Health and Disease research theme in Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences, as part of an ERC funded collaborative project to decipher the roles of protein secretion systems in pathogenic mycobacteria.

The project involves biochemical and structural characterisation of families of type VII secreted toxins produced by Mycobacterium abscessus. You will design experiments to ascertain the function of these toxins, identify and characterise interacting partner proteins and determine their biological targets. You will work as part of a large collaborative team (CombaT7) with three laboratories in Europe, with whom you will meet regularly.

Candidates with a background in bacterial protein toxins and bacterial protein secretion systems are encouraged to apply.

This post is fixed term for a period of 3 years. 

For informal enquiries contact: tracy.palmer@ncl.ac.uk

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/ 

Find out more about our Research Institutes here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities

•    Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value' 
•    Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements 
•    Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
•    Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding 
•    Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
•    Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
•    Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
•    Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
•    May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants 
•    Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
•    May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
•    Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
•    Work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team across multiple locations.
 

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

•    Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
•    Detailed subject knowledge in bacterial protein secretion and interbacterial antagonism
•    Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects 
•    High level of analytical and problem-solving capability 
•    Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others 
•    Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
•    Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications 
•    Experience of working with protein toxins and protein complexes
•    Experience of molecular biology techniques including cloning and site-directed mutagenesis
•    Knowledge of and experience in protein biochemistry and structural biology techniques
•    Data management skills for information sharing between team members over multiple sites
 

Desirable

•    Experience of making chromosomal mutations in Gram-positive bacteria
•    Experience working with protein secretion systems
 

Attributes and Behaviour

•    Advanced skills directly related to the research project
•    High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
•    Ability to communicate complex information with clarity 
•    Good time management and ability to prioritise to meet deadlines
 

Qualifications

•    A PhD in the research area required

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver  Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 28074