Research Assistant in Molecular Biology

We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant in Molecular Biology who will be a member of a research group and will support and carry out research on DNA assembly of synthetic genomes.

This is an exciting opportunity with huge potential. Your primary role will be to assist in planning and carrying out experiments and analysing the results within Professor Chris O’Callaghan’s laboratory (https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/research/research-groups/ocallaghan-group-1) with Dr Nathali Flores-Fernandez. This will involve molecular biology and biochemistry to undertake DNA assembly including generating constructs and testing new approaches. There may also be some expression and purification of recombinant enzymes such as methylases. There may be scope for some bioinformatic/computational analysis, but this is primarily a laboratory-based post. The laboratory is well-equipped for this work and for testing the function of assembled DNA molecules. The project will enjoy a high level of funding and if successful there is potential for a further 3-year phase of funding to be awarded. The project collaborators include Professor Francesco Licausi and Professor Steve Kelly. This is an exciting training position offering a well-supported position in a well-funded laboratory to work on an important new project as part of a wider collaborative team.

This role has arisen from the award of a major new grant of around £6.7 million from the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) – a UK government funding agency. This grant is shared between three groups and covers a 3-year period. This is translational funding to further develop technology that we have invented to assemble large DNA molecules of any sequence with ease. Using this technology, it is possible to rapidly and simply assemble DNA molecules up to hundreds of thousands of base-pairs in length. We have progressively improved and simplified this technology which uses recombinant DNA methylases as published in PubMed link and PubMed link. The current project will refine the technology and streamline it for widespread use. Our initial aim is to use this technology to generate synthetic organelle genomes, but it has many other potential applications. With our collaborators we aim to generate synthetic chloroplast genomes and test these in relevant crop plants including potato (Solanum tuberosum) and wheat (Triticum aestivum).

With a degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biological chemistry, synthetic biology or related subject, you will be responsible for managing your own academic research and administrative activities within guidelines provided by senior colleagues, contributing to the wider project planning, including ideas for new projects. You will have good organisational and laboratory skills and be good at record keeping with good written and verbal communication skills.

It is essential that you currently have relevant experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biological chemistry, synthetic biology (or related subject) and possess sufficient specialist knowledge and experience in the discipline to work within the proposed research programme.  You will also have experience in laboratory work, following and adapting protocols, and selecting appropriate experimental methodologies with good laboratory skills, planning and organisation for the development of experimental work.

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract until 28 May 2028 and is funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).

Only applications received before 12 midday on 4 August 2025 will be considered. Please quote 180419 on all correspondence.

Informal enquiries should be addressed to Prof Chris O’Callaghan (chris.ocallaghan@ndm.ox.ac.uk).

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