Main Purpose of the Job

To isolate, establish and characterise plant-associated bacterial collections.

To assemble and develop synthetic communities with desired functions.

Key Relationships

The Project Scientist will work on a project led by Dr Eleftheria Trampari in the Webber group . They will interact with researchers within MFS, workers in the core capability groups (media preparation and sequencing facility), other researchers, research support staff and students across the institute and the wider Norwich research park.

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Isolation, culturing and phenotyping of bacteria from soil and plant samples.

Establishment of microbial collections native to plants of interest.

Sequencing of bacterial collections and single species isolates.

Characterisation of competitive interactions among bacterial species.

Synthesis of bacterial communities with desired functions.

As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the role

Education & Qualifications

Requirement

Importance

Bsc or equivalent in relevant scientific subject

Essential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement

Importance

Microbial cultivation and identification

Essential

Handling of pathogenic organisms

Essential

Plant microbe interactions

Desirable

Relevant Experience

Requirement

Importance

Previous experience of working in a multiuser biological research laboratory

Essential

Adhering to quality control processes and reporting

Essential

Experience with microbial phenotypic assays (eg. biofilm formation, antimicrobial testing, fitness and growth)

Essential

Experience with writing scientific publications

Desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement

Importance

Ability to follow instructions/ standard operating procedures

Essential

Promotes and strives for continuous improvement

Essential

Highly committed and motivated to succeed

Essential

Excellent time management and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise workload

Essential

Attention to detail and accurate record keeping

Essential

Good interpersonal skills, able to work as part of a team

Essential

Demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skills

Essential

Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders

Essential

Good communication skills, both written and verbal

Essential

Ability to think creatively, contribute new ideas, troubleshoot

Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement

Importance

Attention to detail

Essential

Promotes equality and values diversity

Essential

Adaptability to learn new skills

Essential

Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the institute, ensuring it is a great place to work

Essential

Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate

Essential

Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute

Essential

Willingness to undertake any necessary training for the role

Essential

Quadram Institute Bioscience

The Quadram Institute is at the forefront of a new interface between food science, gut biology and health, developing solutions to worldwide challenges in food-related disease and human health.

We are engaged in fundamental and translational food and health research, alongside clinical studies, endoscopy and industry, working together to become a leading international hub for food and health research, combining scientific excellence and clinical expertise, delivering impacts on patient care and accelerating innovation.

The Quadram Institute is a diverse and multicultural scientific community. We thrive on our international and European links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on +44 (0)1603 450888 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk.

For more information about working at Quadram Institute Bioscience, please click here.

Department

Microbes and Food Safety

Living in Norfolk

• Visit Norfolk
• Schools in Norfolk
• Childcare in Norfolk

Project Scientist

 Applications are invited for a Project Scientist to work on a project led by Dr. Eleftheria Trampari, within the Webber group in the Microbes and Food Safety programme at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.

Background:

Dr Eleftheria Trampari’s research focuses on understanding how pathogens survive and adapt in diverse ecosystems. Specialising in molecular microbiology, with an interest on dissecting microbial community functions, their research centres on the identification and characterisation of mechanisms driving the adaptation of microbial communities to stressors and changing environments.

The role:

The post holder will work on a project which aims to develop microbial interventions to control foodborne diseases on fresh produce. They will isolate and establish microbial collections from plants and synthesise communities with desired characteristics.
 
Specific activities will include:

•Isolation and culturing of bacteria from soil and plant samples.
•Establishment of microbial collections native to plants of interest
•Sequencing of collections and single species isolates
•Synthesis of communities with desired functions

The ideal candidate:

Candidates are expected to have or be imminently awarded a BSc degree or equivalent. It is an essential requirement for this role that the post holder has experience with microbial phenotypic assays (e.g.isolation, growth, fitness, biofilm formation, antimicrobial testing,) and it is advantageous if the candidate has experience with plant microbe interactions.

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £28,550 to £35,500 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post for a contract of 12 months.

Please note, this post does not meet UKVI requirements to provide visa sponsorship.

Interviews will be held on 19 December 2024.

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.

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. (https://quadram.ac.uk/).

The Quadram Institute is part of the Centre for Microbial Interactions which is one of the world's largest groupings of microbiology expertise spanning a broad remit of active research areas. You will benefit from a dynamic and diverse research environment at Norwich Research Park exploring microbial interactions across a wide range of scales and disciplines. Our established infrastructure and collaborative culture provide an excellent platform to drive high-quality research and innovation, forge global partnerships, and train the next generation of microbiologists. 

The closing date for applications will be 11 December 2024.

The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.