University of Cambridge
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Nucleic Acid Computing and Molecular Engineering (Fixed Term)
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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Nucleic Acid Computing and Molecular Programming
We invite applications for a 2-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Nucleic Acid Computing and Molecular Programming in the laboratory of Dr Gamze Gursoy at the University of Cambridge.
About the Role
The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research programme at the interface of biochemistry, molecular biology, biomolecular engineering, and computational genomics. The current focus is developing new technologies for genetic privacy, a problem requiring molecular and computational systems to be designed together rather than sequentially.
Key Responsibilities
- Join an active team developing programmable nucleic-acid systems that sense defined human genomic sequences and convert those molecular recognition events into engineered DNA outputs.
- Help design, build, validate, and iteratively improve these systems, and extend them toward robust, multiplexed privacy-preserving applications.
- Engage directly with quantitative data generated by their experiments: analysing assay performance, identifying failure modes, comparing alternative designs, and using those results to determine the next experimental iteration.
- Plan and manage their own research and administration, with guidance from the PI as required.
- Take an active role in the research group, contribute to graduate student research skills, and participate in seminars, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations across applied mathematics, genetics, computational biology, synthetic biology, and genomic privacy.
- Encouraged to develop independent research directions and pursue fellowship funding, with mentorship and support from the PI.
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Qualifications
- Applicants should possess, or be close to completing, a Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology, bioengineering, synthetic biology, biotechnology, or a closely related experimental field.
- Demonstrated experience designing and experimentally testing nucleic-acid systems beyond routine or predominantly kit-based molecular biology.
- Particularly interested in candidates who have reasoned explicitly about nucleic-acid sequence, structure, molecular recognition, enzymatic activity, and function, and translated those ideas into new experimental systems.
Desirable
- Familiarity with Python, R, or another quantitative analysis environment would be advantageous but is not essential.
- Candidates with strong experimental backgrounds who are motivated to develop these skills are encouraged to apply.
Application Process
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- Provide the contact details (including email addresses) of two academic referees on the online application form.
- Upload a full curriculum vitae and a description of your recent research (not to exceed three pages).
- Ensure that at least one of your referees is contactable at any time during the selection process and is aware that they will be contacted by the Mathematics HR Administrator to upload a reference to our Web Recruitment System. Encourage them to do so promptly.
Contact Information
- Informal enquiries can be made by contacting Dr Gamze Gursoy at gg584@cam.ac.uk.
- For queries about the application process, please email LE51105@maths.cam.ac.uk.
Additional Information
- Interviews will be held shortly after the closing date.
- Please quote reference LE51105 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
- The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
- The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
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