Main Purpose of the Job

CLIMB is a pioneering cloud-computing infrastructure for microbial bioinformatics, transitioning from UKRI funding to a self-sustainable model. The platform supports over 120 active research groups and plays a crucial role in UK public health and microbiology research.

Provide academic leadership and strategic direction for CLIMB, ensuring its continued development as a world-leading microbial bioinformatics infrastructure while strengthening QIB's position in the field. The role requires Chairing meetings and a regular presence at QIB for key meetings and events, with flexibility to conduct duties remotely as appropriate.

This is a senior academic leadership position that will be crucial for:

• Ensuring CLIMB's academic excellence
• Driving innovation in microbial bioinformatics
• Strengthening QIB's position in the field
• Supporting the transition to a sustainable operational model

Key Relationships

- Executive Board
- relationships with academic institutions
- research partnerships and scientific collaboration

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Strategic Academic Leadership: Lead and drive the scientific direction and development of CLIMB, lead the transition of CLIMB to National Capability status, foster innovation in cloud computing solutions for microbiologists, identify and develop opportunities for expanding CLIMB's impact, provide scientific leadership to strengthen links between CLIMB and QIB’s ISPs

Project Oversight: chair the Project Management Team, participate in CLIMB Executive Board meetings, oversee implementation of strategic decisions, guide resource allocation and management decisions, ensure alignment between academic needs and technical capabilities

Partnership Development: foster collaborations across the NRP to maximise the impact of CLIMB in supporting NRP research excellence, foster collaborations with government and public health agencies, develop relationships with national and international academic institutions, identify opportunities for new partnerships and grants, support the expansion of industrial partnerships, guide the development of branded cloud solutions for partners

Innovation and Research Direction: guide the development of specialised tools for microbial bioinformatics that support QIB’s research priorities, ensure CLIMB maintains its competitive edge against major cloud providers, direct the development of new features and capabilities

Academic Community Engagement: support the integration of CLIMB as a key component of QIB’s broader research computing infrastructure, participate in QIB strategy development to ensure alignment between CLIMB capabilities and QIB goals, represent CLIMB in different forums (government, academia, public health,…), ensure CLIMB meets evolving research needs, support the development of training programmes, promote CLIMB's capabilities to the research community
 

Resource Management: They will ensure the efficient allocation and utilisation of resources, including monitoring and managing the budget and seeking additional funding opportunities as needed.

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

Education & Qualifications

Requirement

Importance

PhD in relevant field

Essential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement

Importance

Ability to bridge academic and operational requirements

Essential

Knowledge of CLIMB infrastructure and usage

Essential

Strategic vision for CLIMB bioinformatics infrastructure

Essential

Distinguished publication record in relevant fields

Essential

Strong organisational and planning skills

Essential

Relevant Experience

Requirement

Importance

Track record in securing research funding

Essential

Excellence in stakeholder management

Essential

International recognition in microbial bioinformatics

Essential

Strong track record in innovative cloud computing applications

Essential

Proven experience in leading large-scale research infrastructure

Essential

Established relationships with public health agencies

Essential

Budget and financial management

Essential

Management and Leadership

Requirement

Importance

Strong leadership and team management

Essential

Strong relationships management skills

Essential

Proven ability to build, grow and retain high performing relationships

Essential

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement

Importance

Excellent communication and stakeholder management

Essential

Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work well as part of a team

Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement

Importance

Attention to detail

Essential

Promotes equality and values diversity

Essential

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

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

Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate

Essential

Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required

Essential

Ability to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars

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

Group Details

CLIMB-BIG-DATA is a collaboration between leading UK universities working to deliver a cutting-edge bioinformatics platform to support microbiology research groups. It is a pioneering cloud-computing infrastructure for microbial bioinformatics, transitioning from UKRI funding to a self-sustainable model. The platform supports over 120 active research groups and plays a crucial role in UK public health and microbiology research.

Living in Norfolk

• Visit Norfolk
• Schools in Norfolk
• Childcare in Norfolk

Academic Director - CLIMB BIG DATA

Applications are invited for an Academic Director to provide academic leadership and strategic direction to the CLIMB-BIG-DATA Project at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.

Background:

CLIMB-BIG-DATA is a collaboration between leading UK universities working to deliver a cutting-edge bioinformatics platform to support microbiology research groups.

The role:

This role will provide academic leadership and strategic direction for CLIMB, ensuring its continued development as a world-leading microbial bioinformatics infrastructure while strengthening QIB's position in the field.
The role requires Chairing meetings and a regular presence at QIB for key meetings and events, with flexibility to conduct duties remotely as appropriate.

This is a senior academic leadership position that will be crucial for:

•           Ensuring CLIMB's academic excellence
•           Driving innovation in microbial bioinformatics
•           Strengthening QIB's position in the field
•           Supporting the transition to a sustainable operational model

The ideal candidate:

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant scientific field and be recognised internationally in microbial management. They will have a track record of bridging academic and operational requirements by utilising their proven experience in leading large scale research infrastructure.

The candidate will have excellent experience in stakeholder management and a strong track record in innovative cloud computing applications and securing research funding. The candidate should also have strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to build, grow, maintain and retain high performing professional relationships.  

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £70,560 to £88,250 per annum, pro-rata depending on qualifications and experience. This is a part-time post for a contract of 36 months.

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

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 closing date for applications will be 24 February 2025.

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