Molecular Microbiology Research Technician - UOD2194

We are recruiting for a highly motivated Molecular Microbiology Research Technician to join our team in an interdisciplinary project, working on antibacterial drug discovery. You will work with microbiologists and drug discovery scientists to support bacterial strain construction, tissue culture maintenance, and tissue culture infection experiments.

This project is a joint programme between the Division of Molecular Microbiology (MMB) and the Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) at the University of Dundee, and is part of a European Union funded project, that brings together an international consortium. The post provides an opportunity to:

• Be a part of a world-leading university-based drug discovery project
• Develop skills in tissue culture, bacterial genetics, and cell biology
• Contribute to delivering drug candidates that address unmet major global diseases

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

The Molecular Microbiology Division (MMB) studies bacterial biology and regulation, with a focus on mechanistic underpinnings of physiology. MMB and DDU working together with external collaborators are developing novel approaches to develop antibacterial therapies. The DDU is a fully integrated “Biotech style” drug discovery organisation with cutting edge facilities (www.drugdiscovery.dundee.ac.uk).

We are passionate about tackling unmet medical need. We have two areas of activity:

• Drug discovery for globally important neglected and emerging infectious diseases (including tuberculosis, other antibioticresistant bacterial infections, malaria, fungal infections), that affect millions of people across the world every year;
• And Innovative Targets across a variety of different diseases, including neurosciences and women’s health.

Your priorities will include:

• Regular maintenance of tissue culture for an immortalised monocyte-like cell line (THP-1 cells)
• Constructing genetically modified Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium bacterial strains, together with other team members
• Performing tissue culture infection experiments in which differentiated THP-1 cells are infected with Salmonella and treated with test compounds of interest
• Working together with microbiologists, computational drug discovery scientists, medicinal chemists and others in the DDU, MMB, and external collaborators to analyse and interpret the data.
• Presenting data in a clear way to the rest of the team.

Who we’re looking for:

• Highly motivated, self-directed individuals qualified with an M.Sc. in microbiology or related area
• Experience with lambda red-based genetic manipulation of Enterobacteriaciae
• Experience with medium- or high-throughput compound screening approaches
• Strong interpersonal, communication and coordination skills
• Strong solution-oriented attitude and a high motivation to learn

We are one of the UK’s leading universities, internationally recognised for our expertise across a range of disciplines and research breakthroughs in multiple areas, including science, medicine and engineering, amongst many others. Our purpose is to transform lives, locally and globally, which we do as a community of staff (Professional Services, Faculties, and Schools), students and alumni.

For further information about this position please contact Megan Bergkessel at MBergkessel001@dundee.ac.uk, Daniel Neill at DNeill001@dundee.ac.uk, or Ian Gilbert at i.h.gilbert@dundee.ac.uk.

To find out more about the DDU and the Molecular Microbiology Division please visit drugdiscovery.dundee.ac.uk and www.dundee.ac.uk/life-sciences/research/molecular-microbiology

The diversity of our staff and students helps to make the University of Dundee a UK university of choice for undergraduate, postgraduate and distance learning. Family friendly policies, staff networks for BME, Disabled and LGBT staff, membership of Athena SWAN, the ECU Race Equality Charter and Stonewall as well a full range of disability services, create an enjoyable and inclusive place to work.

Advert information