University of Leeds
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in In situ Structural Biology

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Salary: Grade 7 (£41,064 - £48,822 p.a.)
Available on a fixed-term basis for 3 years (to complete specific time limited work)
This role will be based on the university campus. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements.
Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have an established background in in situ structural biology? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK's leading research intensive Universities?
We seek to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to the research team led by Prof. Elton Zeqiraj in the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. The position is initially available for 3 years. The successful applicant will undertake in situ structural analysis using advanced cryoEM, cryoET and cutting-edge correlative microscopy methods. A major aspect of the post is setting up new pipelines for in situ structural biology and cryoET from cell systems using modern techniques to study ribosome quality control mechanisms. In addition, you will resolve the mode of action and target engagement of signalling proteins using signal particle cryoEM and sub-tomogram averaging. The position will suit someone interested in protein structure, in situ imaging / structural biology and cell signalling.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
The project builds on recent work from the laboratory on quality control mechanisms [1,2] and the mode of action of signalling proteins [3], which the successful applicant will extend into a native cellular context using in situ cryoET and correlative imaging.
You should have (or be very close to completing) a PhD in in situ Structural Biology, or a related discipline. You should have a strong background in cryoEM, CryoET or related methods, and experience with setting up pipelines for cryoET data processing and/or FIB milling. Experience with in situ structural biology is essential.
The Astbury Centre for Structural & Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds has excellent facilities for in situ structural biology and is fully equipped for cryo-electron microscopy (two Titian Krios 300 kV with Falcon-4 detectors and Selectris energy filters), FIB-milling (Hydra Bio plasma-FIB) high pressure freezing equipment. Computational resources with dedicated workstations are available in the Zeqiraj laboratory and through high performance computer clusters within the University.


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Additionally, the centre has protein crystallography and protein production facilities with expertise in multi-subunit expression in insect cell, yeast and bacterial expression systems. Other facilities provide capabilities for biophysical interactions, including the latest Biacore, MST, Dianthus (Nanotemper), ITC and Mass Photometry instruments. The University provides state-of-the-art infrastructure for insect cell and mammalian cell culture, high-throughput screening, imaging, mammalian genetics, chemical biology and proteomics.
Salary Requirements Of The Skilled Worker Visa Route
Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/global-talent
To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:
Elton Zeqiraj, Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Structural Biology
Email: e.zeqiraj@leeds.ac.uk
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location