University of Edinburgh
Post-doctoral Research Associate
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UE07: £41,064 - £48,822 per annum
CMVM / The Roslin Institute / Genome Biology
Full Time: 35 hours per week
Fixed term: Starts 01 November 2026 (duration 3.5 years)
The Opportunity
Where passion meets purpose. Be part of something bigger.
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. This is an exciting opportunity to join an internationally collaborative research group at The Roslin Institute, one of the world's leading centres for animal science research, and to play a central role in a project with real global impact.
As a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the group of Dr Laura Glendinning, you will be at the forefront of efforts to tackle one of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing agriculture: how to feed a growing global demand for poultry products without compromising environmental or economic sustainability. With global poultry consumption projected to double by 2050, the need for innovative, science-led solutions has never been greater.
This BBSRC-funded project takes a novel approach to this challenge, harnessing the power of the gut microbiota to enhance chickens' ability to digest high-fibre, low-cost feeds. You will lead the bioinformatic analysis and integration of cutting-edge multi-omic datasets to unpick the complex microbial mechanisms that underpin fibre fermentation in the chicken gut. You will also take the lead on constructing in silico models of microbial communities, work that could ultimately paving the way for future targeted probiotic interventions in commercial and smallholder poultry farming.
You will also contribute to poultry trials and sample collection, and will have the unique opportunity to travel to Ethiopia to coordinate trials exploring how microbiota transplants can benefit chicken breeds raised by smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. This international dimension gives the project a distinctive relevance, with findings that could improve livelihoods and food security on a global scale.
You will also have the opportunity to share this science with broader audiences through public engagement activities in collaboration with The Easter Bush Science Outreach Centre, helping to communicate the significance of microbiome research to the next generation of scientists and the wider public.
If you are a researcher with a desire to apply your skills to challenges that matter, from commercial poultry farms to smallholder flocks in Sub-Saharan Africa, we would love to hear from you. Informal enquiries should be made to Dr Laura Glendinning (Laura.glendinning@roslin.ed.ac.uk).
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A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle:
- Opportunities to develop new skills and broaden your experience
- Leading-edge research
- Opportunities for publication
- Responsibility and autonomy
This post is full-time (35 hours per week); however, we are open to considering part-time or flexible working patterns. We are also open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working.
View the full job description (opens in a new browser tab) [https://uoe.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/jobdescriptionlibrary/IQCb5-PUk6AKQrco8GoAJIEsAQQGwwRQu_WksyxOzk76HII]
How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 9 September 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browser's local time zone.
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Interviews will be held w/c 21 September 2026.
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
The Roslin Institute receives strategic investment from the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and provides national capability to achieve sustainable agriculture, control diseases and enhance health through pioneering animal bioscience.
The Institute is a key part of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework exercise, a joint submission by the School and Scotland’s Rural College placed first in the United Kingdom for agriculture, food and veterinary sciences.
The Institute is home to over 400 staff, students and visitors, including around 65 Group Leaders and Tenure Track Fellows on a path to independence. It has a vibrant programme of postgraduate research and a thriving student community.
Research at the Institute is organised across eight divisions (Quantitative Biology, Genome Biology, Functional Genetics, Translational Bioscience, Bacteriology, Virology, Immunology, and Epidemiology) and two Institute Strategic Programmes funded by the BBSRC from 2023-28 (Genes & Traits for Healthy Animals and Prevention & Control of Infectious Diseases).
Over £380M has been invested in physical infrastructure at Easter Bush since 2008, including for research on key terrestrial and aquatic farmed animals. This includes the National Avian Research Facility, a £24M Large Animal Research & Imaging Facility, Aquaculture facilities for fish and shellfish, and an Innovation Centre that is now fully occupied with commercial tenants. The campus serves as a key innovation hub for the Agri-Tech, Aquaculture and Animal Bioscience (3A) sector and Roslin has extensive partnerships with businesses, including animal breeding and pharmaceutical businesses able to translate its discoveries at global scale.
The Institute has a positive and inclusive culture and holds a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award in recognition of its commitment to advance the careers of women in science.
Further details of the research conducted at the Institute can be found at The Roslin Institute website https://vet.ed.ac.uk/roslin (opens in a new browser tab).
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