Research Associate in Molecular Bacteriology
Job number MED05988 Faculties Faculty of Medicine Departments Department of Infectious Disease Salary or Salary range £50,733 - £59,484 per annum Location/campus South Kensington and White City Campus - On site only Contract type work pattern Full time - Fixed term Posting End Date 27 Oct 2026
About the role
Supported by funding from the BBSRC, we are seeking a talented post-doctoral research associate to join the team in the group of Professor Andrew Edwards at Imperial College London. This role will investigate how polymyxin antibiotics kill Gram-negative bacteria.
The position is available full time, starting by October 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter) and is available for 12 months.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a significant and growing global health threat, with recent projections estimating that 39 million deaths will be directly attributed to AMR between 2025–2050. Of particular concern are Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli. The emergence of multi-antibiotic resistant strains necessitates the use of reserve (last resort) antibiotics such as the polymyxins. However, this class of antibiotics are poorly efficacious and efforts to improve their use are hampered by an incomplete understanding of how they work.
What you would be doing
The Edwards group is based in the Department of Infectious Disease and the Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology and encompasses scientists at all levels of experience. We are looking for candidates who can thrive in this dynamic and creative environment. The appointed candidate is expected to lead studies that aim to understand how polymyxins function, including experimental planning and execution, data analysis and presentation and writing of manuscripts.
What we are looking for
Essential criteria for the role include:
- A PhD in bacteriology or related field.
*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £45,399 - £48,876 per annum.
- Experience in genetic manipulation of Gram-negative bacteria.
- Experience in nanoscale imaging techniques including AFM.
- Ability to work collaboratively, experience in experimental planning, troubleshooting, data analysis, and safe laboratory working practices.
Desirable experience for this role includes one or more of the following: Experience in studying membrane biology of Gram-negative bacteria, knowledge of antibiotics and resistance, evolution of resistance, assay development.
What we can offer you
- Become part of a multidisciplinary team working on the major challenge of antibiotic resistance.
- The opportunity to develop your research career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
- Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 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
This is a full-time, on-site post (35 hours per week). This role is for a fixed-term contract for 12 months.
If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Professor Andrew Edwards – a.edwards@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.
We reserve the right to close the advert before the stated closing date, should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you encounter 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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Research Associate in Molecular Bacteriology employer: Imperial Enterprise
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