Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Immunology

Location: Oxford Vaccine Group, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine/Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Headington, Oxford

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Mucosal Immunology to join the Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG) as part of the Correlates of Immunity – Artificial Intelligence (CoI-AI) Programme, a pioneering initiative that integrates controlled human infection models, advanced immunology, and AI-driven analytics to accelerate vaccine discovery.

The postholder will contribute to the immunology workstream of the programme, focusing on the characterisation of humoral and cellular immune responses induced by vaccination, natural infection, and controlled human infection studies. You will apply a range of established and emerging immunological techniques, including multiparameter flow cytometry and functional immune assays, to generate high-quality datasets for integration with clinical, microbiological, and computational analyses. Working closely with senior immunologists, microbiologists, and computational scientists, you will support the development and optimisation of immunological assays, contribute to data interpretation and reporting, and help ensure that immunological outputs are robust, harmonised, and suitable for downstream AI-based discovery.

You will be working in a growing department within the Medical Sciences Division. The Department of Paediatrics is a world leader in child health research and hosts internationally renowned research programmes in drug development, gastroenterology, haematology, HIV, immunology, neuroimaging, neuromuscular diseases and vaccinology. The Oxford Vaccine Group is a world-leading academic research group conducting clinical and translational studies to advance vaccine development working with a diverse portfolio funded by industry, government and charitable organisations.

This position is offered full-time on a fixed-term contract initially for 2 years with the possibility to extend provided further external funding is available.

About the department

The Department of Paediatrics has been honoured with the Athena Swan Gold award, a national gender equality charter, recognising the Department's innovative policies and practices. We are committed to the professional development of our staff by providing up to ten paid days annually for skill enhancement and allowing applications for additional training funding.

About you 

You will hold a PhD/DPhil (or be near completion) in Immunology or a closely related discipline, with sufficient specialist knowledge to contribute effectively to an established research programme. You will have demonstrable laboratory experience in immunological techniques relevant to the study of human immune responses, including cellular and/or humoral assays. You will be able to manage your own research activities, deliver high-quality immunological data to deadlines, and communicate results clearly through written reports, publications, and presentations. You will have a collaborative approach, with the flexibility to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams spanning immunology, microbiology, and computational science.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a CV and Supporting Statement as part of your online application. The Supporting Statement should include a cover letter and should also clearly describe how you meet each of the selection criteria listed in the job description. Click  here for information and advice on writing an effective Supporting Statement. 

Only online applications received before 12.00 midday on Wednesday 11th February 2026 will be considered.

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