Postdoctoral Research Associate

Grade UE07: £40,497- £48,149 per annum, pro rata if part time

College of Science and Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Evolution 

Full time: 35 hours per week

Fixed-term contract: 16 months 

The Opportunity:

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the research group of Dr. Helen Alexander (Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Edinburgh). We are looking for a researcher interested in microbial evolution and ecology, for a wet lab-based role. Applicants should have (or be close to completing) a PhD in microbiology, evolutionary biology, or a related field. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in both experimental techniques and quantitative data analysis.

The project focuses on emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations, using in vitro experiments (primarily with Pseudomonas aeruginosa). We are interested in how antibiotic dose, the biotic environment, and timing of appearance of resistant mutants, affect the emergence of resistance (i.e. outgrowth from initially rare cells to a large population) under antibiotic treatment. Previously, we found that the surrounding antibiotic-sensitive population plays a dual role, either inhibiting or facilitating emergence of resistance under different conditions. Now, we aim to investigate temporal dynamics, especially how timing of appearance of resistant mutants impacts their chance of emergence. This research could also be extended in other related directions, such as investigating mechanisms underlying ecological interactions or testing similar questions in other bacterial species or antibiotic classes.

The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary research group studying microbial population dynamics and evolution (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/alexander). The post-holder will be expected to work with a high degree of independence in designing, conducting, and analysing experiments, and will be encouraged to contribute their own ideas to the project direction. They will be expected to disseminate their results in papers, conference presentations, and/or other outputs, and will be supported in career development. 

This post is advertised as full-time (35 hours per week); however, we are open to considering part-time or flexible working patterns. 

Your skills and attributes for success:

• Experience in microbiology lab techniques
• Knowledge of evolutionary and/or ecological concepts
• Strong skills in experimental design, data processing and statistics
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Excellent time management and organisation

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