MRC Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Plant in London

Salary: £42,694 plus London allowances £5,560 per annum

Band (Grade): MRC 4 | Fixed term for 3 years | Full time | Closing date: 11 August 2026

Additional allowances comprise a £1,000 lump sum Settlement Allowance plus a yearly Training Allowance of £850 in the first year, paid in monthly instalments. The Training Allowance increases to £1,300 in year two, and £1,800 in the third year.

Sarkisyan lab is a team of six people based at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences. Our focus is on design of novel plant traits. We are interested in learning how to design novel plant responses and development, and in the next several years we aim to progress towards generating increasingly complex and interesting traits, from crop protection to purely aesthetic traits. We love seeing our work going all the way from basic science discoveries to real-life technology or a product. In the last several years, we mainly worked on engineering bioluminescence in plants and understanding the structure-function relationship in proteins.

The work in this role will include plant synthetic biology, plant transformation, experiments in plant tissue culture.

• To take initiatives in the planning of research
• To identify and develop suitable techniques, and apparatus, for the collection and analysis of data
• To conduct data analysis
• To ensure the validity and reliability of data at all times
• To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings
• To write reports for submission to research sponsors
• To present findings to colleagues and at conferences
• To submit publications to refereed journals
• To provide guidance to staff and students
• To attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary
• To develop contacts and research collaborations within the LMS and the wider community
• To promote the reputation of the Group, the Institute
• To provide guidance to PhD Students
• To conduct and plan own scientific work with appropriate supervision
• To maintain highly organised and accurate record of experimental work
• To actively participate in the research programme of the Group
• To publish in high quality journals and to present data at national and international meetings
• To participate in Group research meetings and internal seminars
• To collaborate with other allied scientists within UKRI, Imperial College and elsewhere in London and abroad, as appropriate
• To contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s laboratories and facilities with other scientists, clinicians, technicians and students within the laboratories
• Assist in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and research assistants as required
• To comply with the Institute, College, Division, and Unit safety practices and to attend courses on safety when appropriate
• Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by Head of group as well as Head of Institute/Department/Section

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equality and diversity leadership and management.

The job holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s: Code of Conduct, Equality and Diversity policy, Health and Safety policy, Data Protection and Security policy. Job descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal. Any changes should be made and agreed between the post holder and their manager. The above lists are not exhaustive and the job holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.

Education / Qualifications / Training required:

• Essential: PhD (or equivalent experience) in research, industrial or commercial experience

Knowledge and experience:

• Essential: One first-author research article (not a review article) in a peer-reviewed journal or a preprint service.
• Knowledge of plant biology or molecular biology.
• Practical experience in molecular biology or plant biology.

Personal Skills / Behaviours / Qualities:

• Essential: Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature
• Ability to develop and apply new concepts
• Creative approach to problem-solving
• Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people
• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication
• Ability to organise own work with minimal supervision
• Ability to prioritise own work in response to deadlines
• Advanced computer skills, including word-processing, spreadsheets and the Internet
• Willingness to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and cooperative
• Flexible attitude towards work
• Discipline and regard for confidentiality and security at all times
• Willingness to undertake any necessary training for the role
• Willingness to travel both within the United Kingdom and abroad to conduct research and attend conferences
• Willingness to work out of normal working hours (including weekends) if the requirements of the project demand

Additional information: Applicants should submit a CV, names and contacts of two scientific references along with a cover letter stating why you are applying for this role (providing evidence against the requirements of the job as per the job description and person specification). Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted. Please quote reference number LMS 2610.

Please note that applications may be reviewed by both LMS and Imperial staff.