Research Scientist

Applications are invited for a Research Scientist to join the Laboratory of Prof Buscaino in the Food, Microbiome and Health programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.

Background: 

The Buscaino Lab, recently relocated to the Quadram Institute, is part of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins. The group is international and diverse, bringing together researchers with expertise in molecular biology, genomics, and microbiology to address fundamental and applied questions in fungal biology. 

The role: 

This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in fungal biology and sustainable food innovation. The project will focus on exploring intra-species fungal genotypic and phenotypic diversity in filamentous fungi, with the goal of identifying and optimising strains for mycoprotein and microbial food production.

The successful candidate will apply biochemical, molecular biology, genomics, and phenotypic characterisation approaches, including nutritional profiling to understand how fungal diversity influences growth, metabolism, and nutritional value. The post holder will work closely with academic and industrial partners of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins and will benefit from the Quadram Institute’s advanced sequencing, metabolomics, and bioinformatics platforms. 

The ideal candidate: 

Candidates should hold (or be close to completing) a PhD in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, or a related discipline, with proven experience in fungal biology, genome editing, and/or microbial phenotyping. Strong communication, organisation, and teamwork skills are essential. 

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £40,240 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post for a contract of 18 months. 

For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website via the 'Apply' button above or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1004986. This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply.  Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options. 

Interviews will be held on 10 December 2025. 

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence are at the heart of all we do, and we expect all employees to share and display these values. To support our commitment, we have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work. 

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. 

About the Quadram Institute: 

The Quadram Institute is a new interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding how food and microbes interact to promote health and prevent disease. Its mission is to deliver healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food. A partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience, the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and BBSRC, it brings together scientists and clinicians in a state-of-the-art building on the Norwich Research Park. This is one of Europe’s largest centres of life sciences and home of the John Innes Centre and The Earlham Institute. (https://quadram.ac.uk/). 

The closing date for applications will be 30 November 2025 

The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. 1058499) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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