Research Associate / Senior Research Associate for in Situ Structural Biology

The role

This Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position will focus on developing and applying cryoFIB-SEM to enable in situ structural biology. This project will lead to a greater understanding of phagocytosis, including the geometric molecular requirements of receptor-ligand engagement. Future aims include structure-guided development of immunotherapeutics able to mimic, inhibit, induce or otherwise modulate the molecular orchestra underlying phagocytosis.

The Sharp lab has expertise in synthetic and structural biology, extensive contacts in both academia and industry, and recent successes in translating fundamental insights into therapeutic candidates. Bristol houses state-of-the-art microscopes, and we have excellent access to individual workstations and HPCs, including the new national Isambard 3 and Isambard AI superclusters. You  will utilise these resources, and help maintain and enable access for themselves and other lab members. Furthermore, with the recent acquisition of a ThermoFisher Hydra Bio pFIB-SEM, you will be ideally placed to benefit from access to this machine, but also to enable and support other users in a collaborative framework.

What will you be doing?

Together with immunologists and cell biologists, you will prepare samples of human-derived macrophages at various stages of phagocytosis before performing cryo-FIB-SEM and cryoET, tomogram reconstruction and sub-tomogram averaging to allow in situ structural biology of phagocytic events.

You will:

• Lead research into in situ structural biology of phagocytosis, including cryo-FIB-SEM sample prep and data acquisition, cryo-electron tomography, and sub-tomogram averaging.
• Lead developments of cryo-FIB-SEM methodology and data analysis
• Write / implement new software for cryoFIB-SEM and cryoET data analysis
• Collaborate with immunologists and cell biologists to do mammalian cell culture and macrophage differentiation.
• Collaborate with other researchers to enable in situ structural biology
• Help establish future applications and opportunities for development and/or application of workflows and results.
• Write papers and patents for dissemination and utilisation of these potential therapeutics.
• To work collaboratively and support the Sharp lab with administration and supervision of PhD, MSc and undergraduate students.

You should apply if

Essential (all candidates)

• Proven expertise with cryo-FIB-SEM
• Proven expertise with sub-tomogram averaging and other structural biology techniques
• Expertise with python, or an alternative programming language
• Experience with software installation and use of HPCs
• Enthusiasm to collaborate with researchers unfamiliar with your research/techniques.
• Enthusiasm to act as an independent researcher and proactively drive the development and direction of a research project.

Desirable (Grade J)

All of the above, plus:

• Expertise with advanced light microscopy techniques (e.g., super-resolution imaging)
• Excellent publication record
• Track record of delivering (inter)national presentations
• Successful supervision of post-graduate stude

Additional information

For informal enquiries please contact Thomas Sharp (t.sharp@bristol.ac.uk)

Contract type: Open-ended (fixed funding until 01/05/2028)

Work pattern: 35 hours per week / 100% time

Salary: £38,248 - £44,128 (Grade I) or £42,882 – £48,149 (Grade J) per annum, depending on experience.

Interviews will be held on the 7th, 8th or 11th August 2025

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