Head of Programme (Host)

The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence in research and surveillance of virus diseases of farm animals and viruses that spread from animals to humans. It receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and works to enhance the capability to contain, control and eliminate these economically and medically important diseases through highly innovative fundamental and applied bioscience.

The Institute employs around 450 staff, research students and visiting scientists, and is based on one campus in Pirbright, Surrey. Pirbright’s science is located in new state-of-the art high and low containment laboratories as a consequence of over £150m of investment from UK government through BBSRC-UKRI. Additional investment of over £100m in high containment animal facilities is nearing completion, which will enable the UK to study zoonotic diseases in livestock, a unique sovereign capability that was not available in the UK during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The organisation of its science into two closely linked Institute Strategic Programmes (ISPs), one on virus biology (Virus life cycles at multiple scales) and the second on host responses to ciral infection, will together deliver important new knowledge and innovative disease control measures. Following its recent Institute Assessment Exercise, the Institute has secured funding for its next five-year cycle and is now looking to recruit and develop two new Heads of Programme, reporting into the Director of Research, Professor John Hammond, to lead its two ISPs into the future.

Research in the Host Responses Programme will be driven by the overarching question: “What properties of the host response determine the outcome of viral infection?”

The power of this programme lies in the maturity of Pirbright’s knowledge of the farmed animals, insect vectors and viruses it studies, enabled by long term funding to build expertise and facilities. The Institute has built on its previous findings and linked them with recent advances in the field to address the clear and urgent need to better understand why host responses to viral infection can lead to disease with little protection and why, in many cases, host responses to viral infection or vaccination are not broadly protective and often short-lived.

The Head of Programme will be expected to take overall responsibility for the delivery of this ISP Grant, ensuring alignment with BBSRC strategy and working collaboratively with the Head of the Virus Programme. The successful candidate will also take a leading role in periodic science strategy reviews, contributing to the future scientific direction of the Institute. The post-holder will line-manage senior Group Leaders. You will also develop and maintain your own research group in a strategically important area of research. 

How to Apply

Applications should consist of a CV accompanied by a covering letter addressing the criteria in the person specification.

For an informal discussion, please contact Clare Bromley on

E: Clare.Bromley@berwickpartners.co.uk 

Direct: +44 (0)121 654 5915

Mobile: +44 (0)7736 920727

Closing date for receipt of applications:  Tuesday 14^th February 2023

Advert information