Research Assistant/Associate (Fixed Term)

Applications are invited for a Post-doctoral Research Assistant/Associate position in the group of Dr. Francois Nedelec at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU). This call is open to carry out fundamental research in the field of physical biology, specifically studying mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. This project is supported by a prestigious ERC Synergy project BIOMECANET which is a collaboration of the Nedelec group with the experimental working groups of Andrea Musacchio (MPI of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, DE) and Thomas Surrey (CRG, Barcelona, SP). 

BIOMECANET aims to reconstitute crucial aspects of cell division in vitro with purified components and realistically simulate these processes in silico. The emphasis will be on i) the cell cycle, which is a dynamical reaction-diffusion system that controls the timing of key events during division and ii) the mechanics of the cytoskeleton which involves chemistry and intracellular of microtubules. The overall aim is to integrate these two key pieces of machinery to reconstruct the processes of chromosome bi-orientation and segregation. The position is funded with the aim of integrating experimental data with models, and numerous exciting possibilities for collaborations are offered to develop ground-breaking models. 

Applicants should have or be close to obtaining a PhD in computational biology, physics, applied mathematics, computer science or related field and have a proven track record of scientific publication. Prior experience in modelling of biological systems, or expertise in systems biology and/or theoretical biophysics, in general, would be advantageous. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to develop skills in mathematical modelling, advanced numerical simulations and machine learning. 

Fully involved in the basic research in these areas whilst also writing up their research work for presentation and publication, the post holder will have the opportunity to assist in the supervision of student projects, and to engage in teaching if desired. Good and effective communication skills are essential (e.g. presentations, outreach activities).

The Laboratory provides a welcoming and collaborative environment with a wide-range of family-friendly benefits and development opportunities. More about the Sainsbury Laboratory and details of what the University offers to employees, can be found at: http://www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/ 

More information about the Nedelec Group is available here: https://www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/research/nedelec-group

Please ensure that you upload a copy of your full CV with publications list, a supporting statement and contact information of three referees.

Where a PhD has yet to be awarded the appointment will initially be made at Research Assistant level and amended to Research Associate upon the award of PhD.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please visit: http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/40077.

Scientific enquiries apart from the formal application should be directed to Dr Francois Nedelec at  Francois.Nedelec@slcu.cam.ac.uk. 

Please quote reference PT35928 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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