The University of Edinburgh
Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Job Description
UE07: £41,064 - £48,822 per annum
CSE / School of Biological Sciences
Full-time: 35 hours per week
Fixed-term: 2 years (with potential for extension)
The Opportunity
Help us to understand how fungi cause disease, by bringing data-driven engineering biology and cool fluorescent protein tools into fungal pathogens.
We seek to recruit a postdoctoral scientist in Engineering Biology. The job will focus on developing a pan-fungal molecular bioimaging toolbox including fluorescent labelled fungal pathogen strains that can reveal previously hidden aspects of fungal biology. The post holder will take a lead on computational/bioinformatic aspects of strain engineering, and designing and analysing experiments to investigate these strains, collaborating with experimental and computational scientists across the team to answer the project's overarching research questions.
The Successful Candidate
Will be part of an interdisciplinary, intercontinental team that aims to develop and democratise the study and imaging of fungal pathogens through a newly funded long-term programme, entitled ‘Removing Barriers to Fungal Bioimaging for the Global Medical Mycology Community’. Funded by Wellcome and in collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh, Exeter, and Cape Town, the program is summarised:
Human fungal pathogens cause 2.5 million deaths each year, primarily in low and middle income (LMIC) countries. The WHO identified 20 Priority Fungal Pathogens requiring urgent fundamental research. Advanced bioimaging is crucial to achieving this agenda by enabling dynamic, live, quantitative, single-cell analysis in infection contexts. Yet molecular, technological, analytical and expertise barriers, coupled with challenges inherent to the study of fungal pathogens, prevent the global medical mycology community from applying major new bioimaging advances. Leveraging an international collaborative team including medical mycologists, engineering biologists, and imaging experts from the Universities of Exeter, Cape Town, and Edinburgh, we will address these barriers in three aims: 1) Bespoke, affordable, single cell imaging chambers; 2) A Pan-fungal molecular bioimaging toolbox; and 3) Robust high-throughput image analysis pipelines, underpinned by advanced training courses and research exchange. Our foundation phase delivered stakeholder consolidation and proof-of-principle development in three emerging fungal pathogens. The scale-up phase will broaden access to advanced bioimaging tools across fungal pathogens and build fungal bioimaging expertise in Africa. Addressing these barriers simultaneously and ensuring uptake by the global medical mycology community will propel fungal pathogen research to the forefront of modern bioimaging, enabling insight into basic biology and antifungal resistance mechanisms.
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This position is ideal for scientists wishing to switch their research focus to medical mycology. We are happy to support a transition to independence of the post-holder, e.g. developing a side project and co-writing grant applications, providing that key outcomes of our project are delivered.
Benefits
- Opportunities to develop new skills and broaden your experience
- Leading-edge research
- Opportunities for publication
- Working within one of the world’s leading universities
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.
How To Apply
We encourage potential candidates to contact Edward.Wallace@ed.ac.uk with questions about the role. The Wallace lab’s website is at https://ewallace.github.io/
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.
At the Wallace Lab we believe in equity, diversity, and inclusion in science. We believe in the importance of a safe and equal environment for all, where all lab members and colleagues can thrive. Therefore, we as a lab are strongly against any form of racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, ableism, or discrimination based on religion. We strive to support our colleagues as best we can, to amplify the voices of BAME and LGBTQ+ minorities, and to speak up when needed. In addition to this, we support our lab members with caring duties or dependents by offering a safe work environment and flexible work hours. We are in ongoing pursuit of open conversation and accountability, to be better colleagues and to make science more accessible for everyone.
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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 30 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.
Interviews will be held during October 2026.
About Us
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.
About The Team
As the modern inheritors of our 400-year-old reputation for excellence, our staff and students contribute to a vibrant academic community whose visions are shaping tomorrow’s world. The School of Biological Sciences is at the leading edge in teaching, research and innovation. Independent rankings such as the Times Higher Education consistently place us amongst the top 25 universities in the world for biological sciences. We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working and to recognise and value diversity across all our staff and students. The School has an active programme offering support and professional development opportunities for all staff. We place a particular focus on development for early-career researchers (postgraduate and postdoctoral research staff and personal fellowship holders), offering mentoring and an active ‘BioDocSoc’ organisation that brings together researchers for networking, events and training opportunities.
The School of Biological Sciences holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance the representation of women in science, mathematics, engineering and technology.
Our website contains more information about the School.
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