Job Description

Job number

NAT02115

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

2 Feb 2026

About the role

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Seeking a researcher in chemical biology to contribute to our team's efforts to discover and develop cyclic peptides to a range of therapeutically relevant protein targets using mRNA display.



You will 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 study biomedically important proteins.



This position is part of a collaborative research programme between Imperial College London and the Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited (LSCCB) in Hong Kong, bringing together complementary expertise in peptide chemistry, chemical biology, and therapeutic development. There may be an opportunity to pursue some work in the LSCCB laboratories in Hong Kong.

What you would be doing

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Building on our recent development of lysate-based mRNA display (10.1002/anie.202406414) you will join a vibrant research group to extend this screening methodology. You will develop cyclic peptide inhibitors of a range of difficult-to-drug, therapeutically relevant protein targets.



You will carry out novel research adapting and applying our mRNA-display-based peptide discovery protocols. Your work will involve mammalian cell culture to produce screening cell lines, performing RaPID screens against cell-lysate based targets, hit validation, optimising your peptides for cellular delivery, and applying these tools in a range of structural, biochemical and cellular assays.

What we are looking for

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We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic peptide chemist/chemical biologist. This project will be multidisciplinary, involving synthetic and peptide chemistry, biophysical characterisation of peptide hits, and molecular and cell biology. We are therefore seeking someone with experience in a selection of these techniques and a willingness to learn others as dictated by the project.



Experience with the development, optimisation and testing of peptide inhibitors is essential.



Experience of mRNA-display or similar display techniques would be desirable.

What we can offer you

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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. 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 role is full time and fixed term for up to 24 months.



The expected start date is 01 June 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. An earlier start date may also be possible.



To apply, please complete the online application form.



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.