Microbiome Project Scientist
Applications Close: 25 November 2025
Salary: £28,890 to £32,100 per annum depending on qualifications and experience
Contract Length: Full-time post until July 2026
We’re looking for a Microbiome Project Scientist to join the Laboratory of Professor Falk Hildebrand in the Food, Microbiome and Health programme at Quadram Institute.
How do gut fungi colonize new human hosts and do they persist for decades with the same human? Do their genomes change over time? To answer these and follow up questions, the Hildebrand group received an ERC Starter grant, a project that the post holder will help shape. Our aim is to dissect these questions on a family centric cohort, PEARL-AGE.
The role
We’re looking for an enthusiastic researcher interested in culturing fungi, using amplicon sequencing to characterize microbiomes, working with human samples, DNA extractions and sequencing library preparations. In addition, the candidate will also be involved in ongoing research within the group, such as analysing metagenomes, biasing DNA extractions to improve overall throughput of current lab protocols as well as looking into mechanisms to reduce overall costs for these.
The post holder will work on the EPYC ERC project and other related projects in the Hildebrand lab. They will develop skills in advanced microbiology techniques, sequencing technologies, culturing work with eukaryotes and prokaryotes and DNA extractions.
The ideal candidate
Candidates should ideally have a higher academic education (PhD or similar levels of laboratory / writing / management experience) in microbiology or a related discipline. A good understanding of the human microbiome is of advantage, as is previous experience working with microbiomes, DNA extractions and culturing microbes. Good communication and organisation skills with the ability to work independently are also required.
The post is expected to commence in late 2025.
Additional information
Salary on appointment will be within the range £28,890 to £32,100 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post until July 2026.
For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our HR website or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1004991.
We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence are at the heart of all we do, and we expect 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.
The closing date for applications will be 25 November 2025
The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.