Job Description

Key Information
Salary: Commencement on the salary range is subject to comparable skills and experience.
Reporting to: Luis Zapata
Duration of Contract: Fixed Term for 12 months
Hours per week: 35 hours per week (Full Time)
Location: Sutton
Closing Date: 15 January 2026
Job Details
Scientific Officer - Immunogenomics and Radiotherapy Response
Under the guidance of Dr. Luis Zapata and Prof. Kevin Harrington, we are seeking to recruit a highly motivated Scientific Officer to contribute to an interdisciplinary research programme investigating immunoediting and immune evolution in response to radiotherapy. This project aims to understand how radiotherapy-induced DNA damage shapes tumour antigenicity, immune dynamics, and clinical response, with the ultimate goal of identifying predictive immunogenomic biomarkers and informing combination treatment strategies.
The successful candidate will play a key role in analysing patient-derived multiomic datasets from two major clinical trials, CR07 (rectal cancer) and PREDICT-B (soft tissue sarcoma). The role will involve close integration of genomic, transcriptomic, and immune repertoire data to characterise tumour-immune co-evolution before, during, and after radiotherapy.
About the role
The post holder will contribute to a comprehensive analysis of tumour and blood samples collected longitudinally from patients undergoing neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Responsibilities will include:
Processing and analysing whole-exome sequencing (WES) and bulk RNA-seq data from FFPE tumour samples and matched blood-derived germline DNA
Characterising tumour immune microenvironment dynamics and immunogenicity during treatment
Quantifying immune selection and immunoediting using evolutionary metrics, including immune dN/dS
Identifying neoantigens and immune escape mechanisms (e.g. alterations in antigen presentation machinery or HLA loss of heterozygosity)
Integrating T-cell receptor repertoire data generated using FUME-TCRseq from FFPE tissue
Supporting the interpretation of multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) data to spatially profile immune cell populations
Collaborating with clinicians, computational biologists, and experimental researchers to link immunogenomic features with pathological and clinical outcomes
Contributing to publications, presentations, and the development of future translational or preclinical studies
About you
The successful candidate must have:
A degree (or equivalent experience) in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, cancer biology, immunology, or a related discipline
Experience analysing next-generation sequencing data (WES and/or RNA-seq)
Familiarity with somatic variant calling, copy number analysis, or transcriptomic profiling
Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with experience in R, Python, or similar scientific programming languages
Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary team
Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
Desirable experience includes:
Knowledge of cancer evolution, immunoediting, or tumour immunology
Experience with neoantigen prediction pipelines or immune repertoire analysis
Exposure to FFPE-derived sequencing data
Interest in translational cancer research and biomarker discovery
Department / Directorate Information
This role is based within the Evolutionary Immunogenomics Lab, which brings together expertise in cancer genomics, evolutionary biology, immunology, and clinical oncology. The team works closely with clinical trial groups and experimental laboratories to translate computational discoveries into biological insight and therapeutic opportunities.
What we offer
A dynamic and supportive research environment
Access to state-of-the-art computational and experimental facilities
Professional development and training opportunities
Collaboration with leading researchers in cancer evolution, immunogenomics, and radiotherapy
Competitive salary and pension
We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role.
About The Institute of Cancer Research
Why work for us?
As a member of staff, you'll have exclusive access to a range of .
The ICR is committed to supporting overseas applicants applying for roles, here to find out further information.
The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world's most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. Further information about working at the ICR can be found .
At the Institute of Cancer Research, we champion diversity as we believe it fuels innovation and drives impactful research. We welcome applicants from all walks of life, valuing diverse perspectives that enrich our work.
Don't let a checklist of qualifications hold you back - if you're passionate about the role, we want to hear from you. Your unique experiences and backgrounds contribute to the richness of our team. We are committed to being an equal opportunity for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other dimension of diversity. Join us in creating an inclusive environment where everyone's voice is heard and valued.

Skills Required