- Job Title
- Metagenomics Research Scientist
- Post Number
- 1004953
- Closing Date
- 30 Sep 2025
- Grade
- SC6
- Starting Salary
- Salary: £37,500 - £42,000
- Funding End Date
- 31 Mar 2028
- Hours per week
- 37
- Project Title
- Diet impact on the gastrointestinal microbiome
- Months Duration
- 30
Job Description
Main Purpose of the Job
Applications are invited for a Research Scientist to join the Laboratory of Prof Hildebrand at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Norwich, UK.
In this BBSRC-funded position, the impact of plant-based diets on the gut microbiome will be explored in metagenomes, including tracing bacterial strains, reconstructing their genomes and metabolic food-webs in the gastrointestinal ecosystem. This will be used to understand the impact a changing environment (food sources, immune system, invading pathogens) have on ecosystem stability. Questions we will be asking are, among others:
- How can food-derived pathogens be effectively prevented from colonizing the gastrointestinal tract?
- Do major diet changes destabilize an established gut ecosystem (or enrich it by supporting a higher biodiversity)?
- How can the gut microbiome better provide micronutrients to the human body?
To answer these questions, the postholder will be primarily working with metagenomes from diet interventions and co-culture experiments, using bioinformatics to reconstruct genomes and metabolic pathways, machine learning to predict cross-feeding and ecosystem states (similar to previous work, see doi: 10.1038/s41531-025-00885-5, 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.024, 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.11.006, 10.1111/1751-7915.14396). The work will build on bioinformatic tools available in the group (www.falk.science/software, github.com/falklab), that will be further refined/ newly developed to enable cutting-edge bioinformatic approaches in the project.
Long-term, this research will contribute to developing pre-/pro-biotic strategies to reduce autoinflammatory disease and enable healthy aging in a wide population.
In addition, the postholder will be involved in organizing group tasks, such as helping in supervising junior researchers, submitting grants, developing new research programmes and organizing outreach events.
Key Relationships
The postholder will work closely with other group members and the line manager Prof Falk Hildebrand. Close interactions with other QIB groups are a necessity for a successful project completion; the post will be embedded in core research activities across the Quadram Institute, as well as key partners (Earlham Institutes, Imperial College, U Cambridge, among others).
The applicant is expected to help in the supervision of junior group members and to represent the group at trainings. At the Quadram, direct access to established 2nd and 3rd generation sequencing facilities, one of UK’s largest HPC clusters, and cutting-edge microbial laboratories, mice, microscopy and FACS facilities as well as in vitro gut microbiome simulators is available.
Main Activities & Responsibilities
- Percentage
- Investigate diet impact on gut microbiomes via numerical ecology, population genetics and machine learning
- 30
- Predict gene functions and functional interactions in microbiomes
- 30
- Develop new methods (bioinformatic or wetlab) to investigate novel angles in microbiome research
- 20
- Support group with tasks such as outreach, supervision, writing grants
- 15
- As agreed with the line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post, for example, contributing to the work of Institute committees
- 5
Person Profile
Education & Qualifications
- Requirement
- Importance
- PhD in Bioinformatics, Food science, Microbiology, or equivalent experience
- Essential
Specialist Knowledge & Skills
- Requirement
- Importance
- Programming skills (e.g. C++, Perl, python or R)
- Essential
- Understanding of microbiomes, preferably gastrointestinal microbiomes
- Essential
- Ability to troubleshoot and solve problems
- Essential
- Ability to work independently on research projects
- Desirable
- Initiative and a desire to learn, to innovate, and to move out of their comfort zone
- Desirable
Relevant Experience
- Requirement
- Importance
- Experience grant writing or supervising lab members
- Essential
- Familiarity with meta*omics, high-resolution data or binning
- Essential
- Bioinformatics or molecular biology experience
- Essential
- Proven track-record of research output at the appropriate level
- Essential
Interpersonal & Communication Skills
- Requirement
- Importance
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
- Essential
- Promotes and strives for continuous improvement
- Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work alone and as part of a team
- Desirable
- Reliable and conscientious
- Desirable
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
- Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required
- Essential
- Willingness to undertake any necessary training for the role
- Essential
Who We Are
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
Food, Microbiome and Health
Group Details
The Hildebrand group uses meta*omics to research the diversity, community interactions, and bacterial evolution in microbiomes. Currently the group has projects in both human associated and environmental microbiomes, for which custom bioinformatic solutions are developed in the group. We develop the next generation of strain-resolved metagenomics and resolve the functional potential of species within their natural communities. For representative publications relevant to the post please see (doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.024 , 10.1101/2024.09.09.24313184 , 10.1016/j.chom.2021.05.008) and www.falk.science for group information. The group receives funding from a variety of funders (inlcuding ERC, BBSRC, UKRI, NERC etc) as well as industrial collaborations.
The Quadram Institute is based on the Norwich Research Park, which is one of the largest single-site concentrations of research in food, genomics, and health in Europe. The Park hosts 4 BBSRC Institutes (including Earlham), 17,000 students, 3,000 full-time researchers and clinicians, and over 115 companies. The outstanding reputation of our researchers is internationally recognised, with 10 of the Park's scientists in the top 1% of the "most highly cited" in the world, including Prof Falk Hildebrand.
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Metagenomics Research Scientist
Applications are invited for a Research Scientist to join the Laboratory of Prof Hildebrand at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Norwich, UK.
Background:
In this BBSRC-funded position, the impact of plant-based diets on the gut microbiome will be explored in metagenomes, including tracing bacterial strains, reconstructing their genomes and metabolic food-webs in the gastrointestinal ecosystem. This will be used to understand the impact a changing environment (food sources, immune system, invading pathogens) have on ecosystem stability. Questions we will be asking are, among others:
- How can food-derived pathogens be effectively prevented from colonizing the gastrointestinal tract?
- Do major diet changes destabilize an established gut ecosystem (or enrich it by supporting a higher biodiversity)?
- How can the gut microbiome better provide micronutrients to the human body?
To answer these questions, the postholder will be primarily working with metagenomes from diet interventions and co-culture experiments, using bioinformatics to reconstruct genomes and metabolic pathways, machine learning to predict cross-feeding and ecosystem states (similar to previous work, see doi: 10.1038/s41531-025-00885-5, 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.024, 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.11.006, 10.1111/1751-7915.14396).
The work will build on bioinformatic tools available in the group (www.falk.science/software, github.com/falklab), that will be further refined/ newly developed to enable cutting-edge bioinformatic approaches in the project.
Long-term, this research will contribute to developing pre-/pro-biotic strategies to reduce autoinflammatory disease and enable healthy aging in a wide population. In addition, the postholder will be involved in organizing group tasks, such as helping in supervising junior researchers, submitting grants, developing new research programmes and organizing outreach events.
The environment:
The Hildebrand group uses meta*omics to research the diversity, community interactions, and bacterial evolution in microbiomes. Currently the group has projects in both human associated and environmental microbiomes, for which custom bioinformatic solutions are developed in the group. We develop the next generation of strain-resolved metagenomics and resolve the functional potential of species within their natural communities. For representative publications relevant to the post please see (doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.024 , 10.1101/2024.09.09.24313184 , 10.1016/j.chom.2021.05.008) and www.falk.science for group information. The group receives funding from a variety of funders (inlcuding ERC, BBSRC, UKRI, NERC etc) as well as industrial collaborations.
The Quadram Institute is based on the Norwich Research Park, which is one of the largest single-site concentrations of research in food, genomics, and health in Europe. The Park hosts 4 BBSRC Institutes (including Earlham), 17,000 students, 3,000 full-time researchers and clinicians, and over 115 companies. The outstanding reputation of our researchers is internationally recognised, with 10 of the Park's scientists in the top 1% of the "most highly cited" in the world, including Prof Falk Hildebrand.
The ideal candidate:
The applicant needs to hold a PhD (or equivalent) in biology, bioinformatics, computer science or a related discipline with a background and/or interest in at least one of the following subjects:
- Microbiomes, metagenomics, evolution & biodiversity
- Public health, nutrition & metabolic modelling
Basic statistics and programming skills (either R, python, Perl, C++, or equivalent) is expected. Specialized skills will be taught and developed through mentorship and collaborations.
Additional information:
Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £42,000 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post contracted until the funding end date of 31 March 2028.
For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website https://jobs.quadram.ac.uk or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1004953. 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.
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 30 Sept 2025
The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer