Job Description

Job number

NAT02002

Faculties

Faculty of Natural Sciences

Departments

Department of Chemistry

Salary or Salary range

49,017 - 57,472 per annum

Location/campus

White City Campus - On site only

Contract type work pattern

Full time - Fixed term

Posting End Date

12 Aug 2025

About the role

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The post is funded by the Department of Chemistry to

develop more sustainable bio-inspired ways to build molecules

for therapeutic and other applications

. To carry out research programmes in Chemistry Biology within the Micklefield lab.

What you would be doing

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You will be expected to submit publications to refereed journals and to attract external research funding. The Micklefield lab has an eclectic philosophy and is highly interdisciplinary, tackling diverse challenges at the Chemistry-Biology interface. Our team exploit techniques and knowledge from organic chemistry and enzymology through to molecular microbiology and genetics to develop sustainable routes to target molecules. The main research themes include: 1) Biosynthesis and biosynthetic pathway engineering providing novel bioactive natural products particularly new antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and treat neglected diseases; 2) Biocatalysis & integrated catalysis encompassing enzyme discovery, characterisation & engineering for enzymatic synthesis. Merging chemo- and biocatalysis for telescoping routes to pharmaceuticals and other valuable products; 3) Nucleic acids chemistry and biology, including developing new routes to nucleic acid therapeutics (NAT) and functional tools such as riboswitches and aptamers.

What we are looking for

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Hold a PhD in Chemistry or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience Practical experience within a research environment and / or publication in relevant and refereed journals Experience of working and dealing with industrial collaborators Experience in writing, editing, and critiquing research proposals Knowledge of key concepts in chemistry and synthetic biology Knowledge of key secondary metabolism enzymes that produce natural products Knowledge of methods/principles for protein expression in E. coli

What we can offer you

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The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity Benefit from sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes) Get access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day 1, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and a cycle-to-work scheme Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel Be part of a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources designed to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further information

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Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant.



If you require any further details on the role please contact:


Professor Jason Micklefield j.micklefield@imperial.ac.uk

Available documents

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Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.



If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.



Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world's toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.



As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you'll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.



This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you'll join us at Imperial College London.

Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.



Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.