Chief Scientific Officer

Background:

The Quadram Institute is a state-of-the-art £75 million facility dedicated to improving human health by uncovering how food, gut biology, microbes, and the microbiome influence diseases and healthy living.  The two strategic programmes of the Quadram Institute, Food, Microbiome & Health and Microbes & Food Safety, unite scientists, clinicians and industry partners to tackle pressing challenges at the intersection of food science, gut biology, microbiology and human health.  Based on the Norwich Research Park, the Institute leverages a world-class bioscience cluster and an extensive network of national and international collaborators to translate fundamental discoveries into tangible benefits for patients, consumers and society. 

The Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) currently has a vacancy for a Chief Scientific Officer to join a vibrant community dedicated to advancing science and improving health worldwide. 

The Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) is pivotal in the development of the Institute’s scientific strategy and scientific leadership of QIB. The CSO will be a highly respected scientific leader who can provide clear scientific direction, leadership and management. 

The post holder will continue to lead their research group delivering against the agreed research outcomes while working closely with the QIB Director and as a member of the QIB Executive Board to develop plan and implement the scientific strategy. 

Ideal candidate:

The ideal candidate will have significant experience as a successful Group Leader and be a role model for excellence in scientific leadership. They will work collaboratively, and support and engage with colleagues across the Institute, internal and external stakeholders and the QIB Board. 

They will have an excellent publication record, together with demonstrable international recognition in areas of science relevant to the Institute’s vision. Collaboration is at our core, and we value partnerships with scientists within our institute, across the UK, and globally, as well as with industry and government. Candidates will have already established strong collaborations, a clear vision for collaborative research, experience of successfully developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships and continually horizon-scan to identify opportunities and risks.

An essential requirement is a PhD relevant to one of our research themes of food, microbiome and health and microbes and food safety. 

At QIB we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.  We value the diversity of our staff and are committed to creating a positive environment, one that is fair, welcoming and inclusive, and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Please let us know if you need any adjustments made to the application or selection process so you can do your best. 

For more details of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, see our website Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Quadram Institute 

How to apply:

Interested applicants are invited to submit a description of:

(i) current research activities and
(ii) short and longer-term research aims and potential strategic goals (each ~2-3 pages). 

Please combine this with your CV together with a cover letter stating what motivates you to apply for a Chief Scientific Officer position at QIB and submit this by 12 October 2025. 

Please visit our web site via the 'Apply' button above to submit your application.
For any queries please contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk, quoting reference 1004955.

Closing Date: 12 October 2025.