Job Description

Job number

NAT01989

Faculties

Faculty of Natural Sciences

Departments

Department of Chemistry

Salary or Salary range

48,056 - 56,345 per annum

Location/campus

White City Campus - On site only

Contract type work pattern

Full time - Fixed term

Posting End Date

27 Aug 2025

About the role

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We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic researcher in chemistry to carry out novel research employing DNA encoded library screening technologies. Your work will involve developing and applying new approaches to chemically modifying mRNA-display cyclic peptide libraries. You will apply this approach to peptide-based probe development for a wide range of challenging protein targets.



The project is funded by cPTM-DISPLAY which was selected for an ERC Starting Grant and is now funded by a UKRI Guarantee Funding for Horizon Europe ERC grants (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX020878%2F1).

What you would be doing

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This post is to work in the Walport lab based at the Molecular Sciences Research Hub within the Chemistry Department at Imperial College London. The Walport lab is a highly interdisciplinary lab that uses a wide variety of techniques, spanning from synthetic and peptide chemistry to cell biology, to produce peptide-based chemical tools to study biomedically important proteins.



You will join a vibrant research group as part of a small sub-team working to develop cPTM-DISPLAY - a new DNA encoded peptide discovery approach. The project will involve synthesising DNA-barcoded chemical reagents; developing and optimising new peptide selection schemes to identify candidate peptides; biophysical and structural characterisation of identified peptides; lead peptide optimisation; and peptide characterisation and testing. The project will be multidisciplinary, involving synthetic and peptide chemistry, biophysical characterisation of peptide hits, biochemical assays and potential to extend into structural biology and cell biology.

What we are looking for

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We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic synthetic chemist or chemical biologist. You will have strong experience in synthetic chemistry, an understanding and experience of a range of chemical biology approaches and a willingness to learn others as dictated by the project. Experience with the development, optimisation and testing of peptide inhibitors or other chemical probes and working with DNA encoded libraries or other synthetic approaches involving nucleic acids is desirable.

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. Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes). Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day 1, generous family leave packages, interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel and a cycle-to-work scheme 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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This is a full time, fixed term position until 30 September 2027. The expected start date is 01 October 2025 or as soon as possible after this.



To apply for the position, please complete the online application form.



We anticipate holding interviews on 11 and 12 September 2025.



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



If you require any further details on the role please contact: Dr Louise Walport - l.walport@imperial.ac.uk.



The Department of Chemistry proudly holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award and strives to provide a working environment where all our staff feel fully supported to flourish and excel. The Department of Chemistry is committed to promoting the wide range of Family Friendly policies and associated initiatives offered by the College.

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.