Postdoctoral Research Fellow

This new full-time role is available on a fixed-term basis from the 11th of August 2025 until the 11th of August 2027.

The post
The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in a £3 million MRC/ISPF funded collaboration between UK and Chinese institutions aiming to increase understanding of drug-resistant bacterial evolution and transmission. Led by Professor Will Gaze at the University of Exeter and Professor Yong-Guan Zhu at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the project entitled "Revealing new insights into MDR evolution, ecology and transmission across human, animal and environmental microbiomes" represents a significant advancement in One Health research approaches. The research addresses fundamental questions about how antimicrobial resistance develops and spreads. This MRC-funded post is available from 11 August 2025 to 11 August 2027. The successful applicant will be based at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, and will focus on conducting selection experiments, developing risk assessment frameworks incorporating data on genes under selection in different One Health scenarios, conducting molecular analyses of AMR and phylogenetic endpoints and analysing sequencing data in collaboration with colleagues at QUB.

About you
The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in microbial ecology, microbial evolution or molecular microbiology and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required. Applicants will be proficient in classical and molecular microbiological techniques and have experience of using bioinformatic tools for sequence analysis and use of R for statistical analysis.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification (available on the university's website, accessed by the 'Apply' button) for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research.
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly.
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development.
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career.
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy.
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Cornwall.

Further information
For further information please contact Prof Will Gaze, e-mail w.h.gaze@exeter.ac.uk.

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