Bursting Bugs – Summer Internship
Applications Close: 05 January 2026
Salary: £23,493 per annum
Contract Length: 5 weeks, full time
Applications are invited for a Summer Intern to join the Microbes and Food Safety programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.
Background:
The Quadram Institute’s high-quality microscopy facilities offer the unique opportunity to video the explosive response of antibiotic susceptible bacteria challenged with antibiotics and contrast it with the resurgence of resistant bacteria.
We want to assemble educational media and believe that sharing it with schools, primary care providers, and on social media platforms will be a compelling means of educating how antibiotics work, that some bacteria are/become resistant, and why antibiotic stewardship is so important
The role:
Paid 5-week summer internship for a content creator to generate microscopy videos of bacteria bursting in response to administering antibiotics as part of a public education video on the uses of antibiotics and risks of misuse. We are looking for an individual to help shape the creative direction of the project and carry out advanced microscopy.
The ideal candidate:
The ideal candidate will have a good standard of education with a minimum of 5 GCSE’s or equivalent. Candidates must have experience in content creation, and interest in science communication. Experience with microscopy and/or camera lenses and experience working in a category 2 laboratory culturing bacteria is not essential but would be advantageous.
Good communication, interpersonal skills, and organisational skills are required.
Additional information:
Salary on appointment will be £23,493 per annum. This is a full-time post for a contract of 5 weeks.
For further information and details of how to apply can be found here, or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 20713.
Interviews will be held mid-February 2026 with an anticipated start date in July 2026
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.
About the Quadram Institute:
The Quadram Institute is a new interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding how food and microbes interact to promote health and prevent disease. Its mission is to deliver healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food. A partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience, the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and BBSRC, it brings together scientists and clinicians in a state-of-the-art building on the Norwich Research Park. This is one of Europe’s largest centres of life sciences and home of the John Innes Centre and The Earlham Institute.
The closing date for applications will be 5 January 2026
The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Group Leader
Applications Close: 18 January 2026
Contract Length: Full-time post offered on an indefinite basis.
We are looking for an exceptional scientist with a research focus on nutrition- and microbiome-based interventions for the prevention and management of obesity.
You will join other world class Principal Investigators and research scientists within our Food, Microbiome and Health research programme.
The priorities for this programme are to improve our understanding of how novel foods influence nutrient bioavailability and the gut microbiome to promote lifelong health and prevent disease. We conduct trials of novel foods as well as mechanistic studies to understand how diet-microbiome interactions shape the host’s metabolic, physical, and mental health, with the goal of developing innovative food- and microbiome-based approaches that reduce the burden of obesity and related metabolic conditions.
Our team have established knowledge and expertise that brings together excellence in food science and structure, gut microbiome and host function. Our science is underpinned by expertise and capability in (bio)imaging, multi-omics and bioinformatics, microbiology, integrated digestion and fermentation models of the human gut, in vitro systems including organ-on-chip, in vivo preclinical models as well as human interventions.
At the Quadram Institute, a state-of-the-art facility based in Norwich, we are pursuing a forward-looking strategy to advance healthy living through evidence-based precision nutrition and microbiome-targeted interventions aimed at preventing metabolic diseases, including malnutrition and obesity.
We are seeking outstanding scientists who combine scientific excellence with a clear vision for advancing innovative research at the Quadram Institute, leveraging our substantial capabilities and expertise to help consolidate the Institute as a global leader in food–microbiome research for life-long health.
Applicants should have an excellent track record in an area of research that can address the strategic aims of the programme, particularly diet-microbiome-host interactions and their contribution to metabolic health and disease that will underpin new microbiome-based strategies to prevent obesity. Successful candidates will have an excellent publication record and evidence of establishing and supporting a productive research group supported by national research council (e.g., UKRI or equivalent) grants at a level commensurate for their career stage. Candidates should also have a clear vision for collaborative research.
In addition to delivering on Institute core research objectives, the successful applicant is expected to develop a broad research grant portfolio that includes collaborative projects with other scientists in the institute and beyond, and with stakeholders in industry and government.
More information about the role can be found in the Group Leader Recruitment Pack (PDF).
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 including next generation sequencing and bioinformatics, advanced bioimaging, and Human Studies. 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.
Completed applications should include:
- A description of (i) current research activities and (ii) short and longer-term research aims and potential strategic goals (each 2-3 pages);
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Covering letter outlining your motivation to apply for the Group Leader position.
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.
Closing date for applications is 18 January 2026.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Research Scientist
Applications Close: 28 December 2025
Salary: £37,500 to £45,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience
Contract Length: Full time, 42 months with the possibility for extension
We’re looking for a Research Scientist to join a new research group led by Dr Lizbeth Sayavedra. This new group will be established at the Quadram Institute to investigate how microbial sulfur and nitrogen metabolism influence human health, particularly in the context of protein malnutrition and obesity
Background
The group will focus on sulphate and sulphite reducing bacteria, a key family of gut bacteria involved in sulfur and nitrogen cycling, and their interactions with the host and the wider gut microbiome. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to building a dynamic team at the interface of microbial physiology, metabolism, and host–microbe interactions.
This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated microbiologist to bridge in vitro microbiome models and in vivo systems, using functional assays, molecular biology, and bioinformatics to uncover how key members of the Desulfovibrionaceae influence metabolic outcomes.
The role
The Research Scientist will investigate how microbial sulfur and nitrogen metabolism influences host health in the context of protein malnutrition and obesity. The role will focus on translating findings from in vitro microbiome systems into in vivo models using functional assays, molecular genetics and multi-omics approaches. The post holder will develop expertise in microbial metabolism, bacterial genetics, bioinformatics and interdisciplinary host–microbe research.
The post holder will work at the intersection of microbiology, molecular biology, and microbiome science to explore how sulfur- and nitrogen-transforming bacteria contribute to metabolic health outcomes.
The ideal candidate
Candidates should hold a PhD in microbiology, molecular microbiology or a related discipline, with experience in molecular genetics, microbial genomics or microbiome analysis. Experience with bioinformatics or animal models would be advantageous. Strong communication and organisational skills, alongside the ability to work independently and within a collaborative team, are essential.
Additional information
Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £45,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time for a contract of 42 months with the possibility for extension.
For further information and details on how to apply, visit the HR website or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1005002.
This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options.
Interviews will be held in late January 2026.
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 28 December 2025
The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.