Postdoctoral Research Associate

About the role

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher with a background in chemical biology, biochemistry, molecular biology or a related discipline to contribute to an interdisciplinary project developing intracellular peptide screening technologies to investigate transcription factor function in mammalian cells.

About you

• A PhD (completed or nearing completion) in biochemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, organic chemistry or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant research experience.
• Practical laboratory experience in one or more of molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, peptide chemistry or protein biochemistry.
• Experience in designing, conducting and troubleshooting experiments, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• An interest in protein–protein interactions, transcriptional regulation and the development of innovative molecular tools.
• Ability to work independently, manage research activities effectively and contribute collaboratively to an interdisciplinary team.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present research findings and contribute to scientific publications.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience in mammalian cell culture, molecular cloning, transfection and the development of cell-based assays.
• Experience in genetically encoded peptide libraries, intracellular screening or reporter-based selection systems.
• Knowledge of peptide synthesis, peptide cyclisation, organic synthesis or chemical crosslinking.
• Familiarity with biochemical or biophysical techniques such as circular dichroism, fluorescence polarisation or isothermal titration calorimetry.
• Experience with luciferase reporter assays, Western blotting, RT-qPCR or related approaches to studying gene regulation.

We particularly welcome applicants who bring strong expertise in either molecular/cell biology or peptide chemistry and are interested in developing complementary skills. Full training and support will be available through our interdisciplinary research team.

Further information

This is a full time (36.5 hours per week) fixed term role with an expected duration of 12 months.

For an informal discussion regarding the role please contact Jody Mason at [email removed].

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equity and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We're very proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. an accredited Disability Confident Leader; autism friendly university, committed to building disability confidence and supporting disabled staff. 

What we can offer you 

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff benefits include discounted postgraduate tuition and language courses, alongside a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning, and more
• Local discounts, including free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• A family-friendly workplace 
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
• Relocation allowance
• Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses
• Employee assistance services through Health Assured, including access to the Wisdom app

Find out more about our benefits and watch the video to hear from our staff about what makes the University of Bath a great place to work as well as following us X and LinkedIn.

Be Well at Bath

We’re committed to creating a health-supporting working environment where everyone can thrive and be at their best. We offer a range of resources to enable you to do that from your first day here, including:

• Staff support groups and networks
• A network of Staff Wellbeing Champions
• A suite of tools, resources and frameworks that enable you to be at your best and thrive

Find out more about being at your best at Bath.

Closing Date: 29 Nov 2026

Department: Education & Research

Salary: £39,560 to £46,970