Group Leader (Microbes and Food Safety) in Norfolk

Contract Length: Indefinite or Career Track (5-year) Full or Part Time

We are looking for an exceptional scientist with a research focus on ensuring food safety and security. You will join other world class Principal Investigators and research scientists within the ‘Microbes and Food Safety’ research programme at the Quadram Institute. The priorities for this programme are to reduce enduring and emerging threats to the safety of UK food supplies. This includes not only microbial pathogens, but also food spoilage organisms, antimicrobial resistance, xenobiotics (chemical agents) that enter the food chain, and the wider microbial communities on foods and in food processing environments which can all impact human health.

Our team have expertise that brings together excellence in imaging, microbiology, genomics, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling in understanding how bacteria thrive as communities across the food chain. The Quadram Institute is a state-of-the-art facility based in Norwich. We are seeking to bring in a forward-thinking group leader who wants to develop their research programme, exploiting our considerable capabilities and helping to consolidate the Quadram Institute as a world leader in food safety and research.

In the Microbes and Food Safety programme, our research spans three themes:

• What and where are the microbial threats in the food chain?
• What are the mechanisms of survival of microbial threats in the food chain?
• How can we use this information to improve food safety and reduce food waste?

Applicants should have an excellent track record in an area of research that can address the key strategic aims of the programme. Successful candidates will have a good publication record and obvious potential for attracting funding commensurate for their career stage, and most importantly, have a clear vision for collaborative research to improve the safety and resiliency of our food supplies.

While core research will deliver against our strategic objectives and research themes, we expect the successful applicant to develop their broader portfolio of research through uplift funding. Collaboration is a core value at the Quadram Institute, and we encourage collaboration with other scientists in the institute and beyond, and with stakeholders in industry and government.

The post will be based at the £75m Quadram Institute, an interdisciplinary research institute at the forefront of a new era in food and health research. The institute provides outstanding and custom-built facilities which bring together medical and molecular microbiologists, epidemiologists, bioinformaticians and clinicians to deliver pioneering interdisciplinary research. The Quadram Institute supports flexible, innovative working that brings together our scientists with partners co-located on the renowned Norwich Research Park including the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, John Innes Centre, the Sainsbury Laboratory and the Earlham Institute. Our team are also members of the recently established Centre for Microbial Interactions, a virtual centre bringing together the more than 100 microbiology research groups working across the Park.

The successful applicant will be offered an indefinite contract, or for applicants with less experience, a Career Track Group Leader position (5 year contract) with tenure subject to review. Positions come with a significant support package with an equivalent value up to £500,000, including a Postdoctoral Research Assistant, start‑up package, budget for consumables and other research expenses, and access to core services such as genome sequencing and advanced microbial bioimaging.

We offer an exciting, innovative and supportive research environment, competitive salaries (depending on qualifications and experience) and a great place to live – a relocation package is available. We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute supports equality of opportunity within the workplace and expects all employees to share and display these values. To support our commitment, we have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work. As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy.