Postdoctoral Researcher

Postdoctoral Researcher Post Details Job Title Postdoctoral Researcher Post Number 1006227 Closing Date 1 Nov 2026 Grade SC6Starting Salary Salary: £39,000 - £46,500 Hours per week 37 Project Title Do plant growth promoting Streptomyces endophytes evolve into pathogens Expected/Ideal Start Date 16 Nov 2026 Months Duration 18

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.

Key Relationships

Internal: Line manager, group members and, as necessary, other researchers, research support staff and students across the Institute. External: Collaborators

Main Activities & Responsibilities

PercentageIdentify, plan, carry out and modify experiments to meet the objectives of the project55Prepare 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 applications10Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings5Ensure research and record keeping is carried out in accordance with good practice, Scientific Integrity and in compliance with local policies and any legal requirements5Contribute 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 opportunities5As agreed with the line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post, for example, contributing to the work of Institute committees5Liaise with industry and other external stakeholders

Person Profile

Education & Qualifications

RequirementImportanceBSc or equivalent in BiologyEssentialPhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in microbiologyEssential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

RequirementImportanceCulturing and genetic manipulation of bacteriaEssentialStudying multispecies communitiesDesirableStudying antibiotic production or resistanceDesirableGenome editing bacteriaDesirableCulturing and genetic manipulation of microbesDesirable

Relevant Experience

RequirementImportanceProven record in scientific writingEssentialExperience of oral research presentationsEssentialExperience of supervising, training and mentoring visitors and studentsDesirablePreparing data / information for grant proposalsDesirableDemonstrated ability to perform research and develop novel ideas in microbiology and evolutionDesirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

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

Additional Requirements

RequirementImportancePromotes equality and values diversityEssentialWillingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to workEssentialAble to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute EssentialAbility to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate EssentialWillingness to work outside standard working hours when required EssentialAbility to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars EssentialAttention to detailEssential

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.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).

Department

Molecular Microbiology

Our holistic approach integrates cellular physiology, molecular genetics (including functional genomics), biochemistry and structural biology. In the Department of Molecular Microbiology we study bacterial metabolism, physiology, gene regulation and development, and plant-bacterial interactions. Major themes of our work on Gram-negative bacteria are the molecular basis of signal transduction in response to various environmental signals and studies on the biology of ammonia channel proteins which are conserved in all domains of life.

The Department's comprehensive Streptomyces programme, studying antibiotic production, morphological differentiation and stress responses, is underpinned by the newly-acquired genome sequence of the model species S. coelicolor, and cutting-edge techniques in functional genomics. Another major research area is the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis where our studies range from bacterial quorum-sensing and plant-bacterial signalling interactions to the developmental responses of plants to their microbial symbionts.

The Department capitalises on the John Innes Centre's emerging strengths in functional genomics, structural biology and advanced cytological techniques, as well as exploiting novel links between research on bacterial and plant processes.

Group Details

The Hutchings Group works on the specialised metabolites made by Streptomyces species and closely related actinomycete bacteria, which include more than half