Postdoctoral Research Associate or Fellow

This Leverhulme Trust funded full-time post is available from 1st January 2026 on a until 31st December 2028 (the start and end dates may shift depending on the candidate's availability).

The Role
The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate or Fellow to study the structural basis of eukaryotic ribosome hibernation in situ.

The successful applicant will employ X-ray tomography, focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), and cryo-electron tomography to study and compare ribosome hibernation in mammalian, fungal and plant model systems.

The post will include:

• Cell culture.
• Preparation of samples for cryoEM via plunge- or high pressure freezing.
• Processing of samples by FIB-SEM (both volumeEM and FIB-lamellae).
• Tomographic data collection.
• Soft X-ray tomography.
• Tomogram reconstruction and segmentation.
• Sub-tomogram averaging.
• Atomic model building.

About You

Postdoctoral Research Associate: The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD (or nearing completion) or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes. Applicants will be able to insert skills and knowledge required.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 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 possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in insert subject area 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 have expertise in the cryo-electron microscopy and/or tomography, including the sample preparation, microscope operation, and image processing. Experience in FIB-SEM is a plus.

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.

Further information
Please contact Dr Bertram Daum, insert b.daum2@exeter.ac.uk.

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