Postdoctoral Researcher

Postdoctoral Researcher Post Details Job Title Postdoctoral Researcher Post Number 1006209 Closing Date 26 Oct 2026 Grade SC6Starting Salary Salary: £39,000 - £42,150 Funding End Date 01 Apr 2030 Hours per week 37 Project Title Global activation of silent and cryptic biosynthetic pathways in Streptomyces species. Months Duration 36 Interview Date 02 Nov 2026

Job Description

Main Purpose of the Job

Postdoctoral Researchers work with limited supervision to carry out individual and collaborative research projects relevant to the overall needs of the research programme.

Streptomyces specialised metabolites form the basis of two thirds of clinically used antibiotics but only 3% of the specialised metabolite pathways encoded in their genomes have been matched to molecules. The majority are “silent” which means they can be identified in genome sequences, but they are not expressed under standard laboratory growth conditions. Streptomyces bacteria have also been found to contain “cryptic” biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which cannot be predicted by similarity search-based tools such as antiSMASH and likely encode new molecules. Regulation of silent and cryptic gene clusters is complex and multilevel, and this makes it extremely challenging to understand.

We are taking a high-level approach to activate multiple silent and cryptic gene clusters in Streptomyces bacteria through the manipulation of global regulators that are highly conserved. The project will focus on a family of highly conserved transcription factors which appear to be at or near the top of a hierarchy of regulators that coordinate the lifecycle of Streptomyces with specialised metabolism: our preliminary data show that manipulation of these TFs actives the expression of multiple silent and cryptic BGCs in Streptomyces venezuelae, leading to the production of new molecules.

The successful candidate will isolate and structurally characterise new specialised metabolites produced by a panel of engineered Streptomyces strains and link them to BGCs. Building on these data you will delineate the biosynthesis of the new molecules and investigate their bioactivity in a range of biochemical and cellular assays.

Key Relationships

Barrie Wilkinson (line manager), Matt Hutchings (CoI), Wilkinson & Hutchings group members (especially PDRA in Hutchings lab working on this project), and, as necessary, other researchers, research support staff and students across the Institute

Main Activities & Responsibilities

PercentageIdentify, plan, carry out and modify experiments to meet the objectives of the project60Prepare results, reports and manuscripts for publication in leading scientific journals and other relevant media10Collaborate with colleagues within the Institute in the development of original and world-class research, including contributing to research proposals and grant applications10As agreed with the line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post, for example, contributing to the work of Institute committees5Contribute to the smooth running of the group, including the effective use of resources, supervision of visitors to the laboratory and assisting with training others, encouraging scientific excellence5Continually strive for excellence, seeking out and acting on feedback and relevant learning and development opportunities5Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings5As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the role

Person Profile

Education & Qualifications

RequirementImportanceBSc or equivalent in ChemistryEssentialPhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in Natural Products or Biological ChemistryEssential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

RequirementImportanceIn-depth knowledge of natural products chemistry and structure elucidationEssentialUse of NMR for complex structure determinationEssentialUse of MS for complex structure determinationEssentialMetabolomics and molecular networkingEssentialExperience in delineating natural product biosynthetic pathways Desirable

Relevant Experience

RequirementImportanceExperience of oral research presentationsEssentialProven record in scientific writingEssentialDemonstrated ability to perform research and develop novel ideas in natural products chemistryEssentialDemonstrated ability to isolate and characterise small amounts of new compoundsEssentialExperience of supervising, training and mentoring visitors and studentsDesirablePreparing data / information for manuscripts and grant proposalsDesirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

RequirementImportanceAbility to collaborate with internal and external stakeholdersEssentialAbility to follow instructions/Standard Operating ProceduresEssentialDemonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skillsEssentialExcellent time management and organisational skillsEssentialExcellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to present complex information with clarityEssentialGood interpersonal skills, with the ability to work as part of a teamEssentialPromotes and strives for continuous improvementEssential

Additional Requirements

RequirementImportanceAbility to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars (reasonable adjustments will be considered).EssentialWillingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to workEssential Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriateEssentialWillingness to work outside standard working hours when requiredEssentialAttention to detailEssential Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the InstituteEssentialPromotes equality and values diversityEssential

Who We Are

John Innes Centre

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society.

Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology.

For more information about working at the John Innes Centre, please click here.

We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on +44 ([phone removed] or [email removed].

We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme, a founding signatory of the Tecnician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

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