Job Description

Job number

MED05543

Faculties

Faculty of Medicine

Departments

Department of Infectious Disease

Salary or Salary range

41,005 - 45,616 per annum

Location/campus

South Kensington and White City Campus - On site only

Contract type work pattern

Full time - Fixed term

Posting End Date

5 Jan 2026

About the role

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Following a 45 million pledge from GSK to support the Fleming Initiative's efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), we are seeking a talented technician to join the team in the join the group of Dr Andrew Edwards at Imperial College London. This role will support the generation of high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) data to power state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models to build a chemical 'rule book' for small molecule accumulation in bacteria. The position is available full time, starting in February 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter).



Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a significant and growing global health threat, with recent projections estimating that 39 million deaths will be directly attributed to AMR between 2025-2050. Of particular concern are Gram-negative bacteria which possess two cell membranes, including a hard-to-penetrate outer membrane decorated with efficient efflux systems. These structural barriers severely limit intracellular accumulation of antibiotic drugs, rendering many ineffective. Despite a renewed focus on AMR research, there is still limited understanding of how to develop antibiotics that can cross these membranes and accumulate within bacteria. Therefore, a systematic, data-driven approach is urgently needed to elucidate the chemical 'rule book' that determines small molecule penetration and accumulation in bacteria to guide rational design of next generation antibiotics

What you would be doing

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Your role will focus on optimising and supporting high-throughput assays that measure small molecule accumulation in Gram-negative bacteria. The data generated from these experiments will feed into the development of state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models to build a chemical 'rule book' for small molecule accumulation in bacteria, as well as understand the biological factors that influence this. You will be contributing to a dynamic and ambitious Grand Challenge Project, funded by GSK and the Fleming Initiative, and you will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, from assay design, small molecule screens and chemical biology and microbiology (Prof Ed Tate) to data science (Dr Marko Storch) and AI/ML (Prof. Alessandra Russo, Prof. Ramon Villar, Prof. Mauricio Barahona). In addition to your research activities, you will support general aspects of the project such as supervising students and junior staff members, liaising with collaborators, preparing reports and publications, and presenting data at meetings.



The Edwards group is based in the Department of Infectious Disease and the Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology and encompasses scientists at all levels of experience. We are looking for candidates who can thrive in this dynamic and creative environment and take optimal advantage of the many training opportunities it provides.

What we are looking for

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Essential criteria for the role include:


A Masters degree in bacteriology or related field, or equivalent experience. Experience in working with molecular and/or biochemical assays. Ability to work collaboratively, plan experiments, troubleshoot assays, undertake data analysis, and use safe laboratory working practices.




Desirable experience for this role includes one or more of the following: Experience in working with pathogenic bacteria; knowledge of antibiotics and resistance; assay development.

What we can offer you

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Become part of a multidisciplinary team working on one of the major challenges in antibiotic drug discovery. The opportunity to develop your research career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity. Grow your career: gain access to Imperial's sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression. Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days off a year and generous pension schemes).

Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing

Further information

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This is a full-time, on-site post. This role is for a fixed-term contract for 30 months.





If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Dr Andrew Edwards - a.edwards@imperial.ac.uk.





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.



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

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.


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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.


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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.