Postdoctoral Research Associate in Programmable Protein-Templated Materials x4

About us

A new ARIA-funded programme is recruiting across five research groups at King's College London and the University of Bristol, with three roles available in the Department of Chemistry and one role in the Department of Physics at King's.  

The team brings together the Wallace Lab (membrane biophysics and single-molecule imaging, KCL Chemistry), the Photonics and Nanotechnology Research Group (plasmonics and nanomaterials fabrication, KCL Physics), and the Woolfson and Boyle labs (de novo protein design, Bristol)

King's College London is one of the UK's leading research universities, ranked in the top 40 globally. The Department of Chemistry was ranked 5th in the UK in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, with 98% of research assessed as internationally excellent. The Department of Physics is home to internationally recognised expertise in plasmonics, metamaterials, and optical nanomaterials.

About the role

The programme aims to build a new class of programmable 2D materials from designed proteins, with applications in molecular separation and nanophotonic metamaterials. The scientific challenge is to go from angstrom-level molecular precision to large-area functional materials, a transition that has defeated conventional fabrication approaches. Our platform uses multiphase mircrofluidics to direct programmable protein assembly, followed by mineralisation into robust inorganic frameworks. The goal is a manufacturable platform, not a proof of concept, and the programme is structured accordingly.

4 PDRA posts are led by Prof Mark Wallace and embedded at King’s, with close day-to-day collaboration with partner groups at Bristol. Please indicate which of the following tracks you are applying to in your supporting statement.

Track A: Protein Engineering and Structural Characterisation You will work on the design, expression, and structural validation of de novo proteins, including alpha-helical coiled-coil and barrel systems, for programmable 2D assembly and ion-selective transport.

Track B: Membrane Biophysics and Interface Assembly You will develop and control membrane interface platforms for 2D protein assembly and characterise protein behaviour and lattice formation at these interfaces using single-molecule imaging methods. Channel forming proteins will be characterised using vesicle efflux and single-channel recording.

Track C: Nanophotonics, Mineralisation and Materials Characterisation You will work on the conversion of ordered protein arrays into inorganic frameworks, characterising structure and optical properties at each stage and developing the deposition methods needed to produce large-area functional materials.

These are full-time posts (35 hours per week). Contracts will be offered for 21 months in the first instance. Subject to satisfactory progress at the ARIA milestone review at Month 18, posts are expected to extend to a total of 36 months. Candidates should be aware that continuation beyond 21 months is contingent on this review.

About you

You will hold a PhD (have submitted your thesis and be awaiting award) in biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, physics, materials science, a closely related discipline, with a track record of independent research demonstrated by scientific publication. You will be able to plan and execute experiments to a high standard, with a creative approach to problem-solving. You will be collaborative, direct about what you know and don't know, and motivated by working on a hard scientific problem with a team built specifically around it.

Each track requires additional specific technical experience, detailed in the person specification of the Job Description. Please review the Job Description and address the relevant track criteria in your supporting statement.

Essential criteria 

• PhD (thesis submitted and awaiting award) in a relevant discipline: biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, physics, materials science, or closely related field.
• A track record of independent research, demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed international journals.
• Ability to plan, execute, and troubleshoot experimental research independently and to a high standard.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex data to interdisciplinary audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-site team and to contribute openly to shared goals.

Track A — Protein Engineering and Structural Characterisation

Candidates applying to Track A posts should meet criterion A1 and at least one of A2 or A3.

A1. Hands-on experience with recombinant protein expression and purification in E. coli, including cell-free synthesis, high-throughput screening approaches.

A2. Experience with structural characterisation of protein assemblies: cryo-electron microscopy, AFM, CD, analytical ultracentrifugation.

A3. Experience with de novo protein or peptide design and computational protein design tools.

Track B — Membrane Biophysics and 2D Interface Assembly Candidates applying to Track B posts should meet criterion B1 and at least one of B2, B3 or B4.

B1. Experience with lipid membrane systems: droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), supported lipid bilayers, liposomes, oil-water interface preparation and characterisation.

B2. Experience with single-molecule fluorescence imaging, interferometric scattering microscopy, or equivalent label-free optical microscopy methods.

B3. Experience with microfluidic device design and fabrication for control of fluid interfaces, protein concentration, bilayer formation.

B4. Experience with ion-channel, nanopore characterisation including single-channel recording.

Track C — Nanophotonics, Mineralisation, and Materials Characterisation Candidates applying to Track C posts should meet criterion C1 and at least one of C2 or C3.

C1. Experience with characterisation of nanostructured materials: extinction/scattering spectroscopy, plasmonic resonance mapping, ellipsometry, or equivalent methods.

C2. Experience with interferometric scattering microscopy, related label-free optical microscopy.

C3. Experience with metal thin-film deposition, nanoparticle synthesis, bioinorganic mineralisation, and with structural characterisation by AFM or SEM.

Desirable criteria

• Experience supervising, mentoring PhD students, junior researchers.
• Experience contributing to grant applications, intellectual property development.
• Familiarity with design-build-test cycles for protein, materials systems.
• Experience working across disciplinary boundaries, for example bridging protein science with materials or photonics.
• Experience in a milestone-driven programme research environment.

Please note that this is a PhD-level role, but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhD will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5 with the title of Research Assistant, upgrading to Grade 6 Research Associate upon confirmation of the PhD award.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description 

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please complete your application via the ‘Apply’ button above.

Advert information