The University of Manchester
Research Associate
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About the Role
We are seeking a motivated and collaborative individual to join the Hungry Tissue Lab, led by Dr John Robert Davis, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate on a Medical Research Council (MRC)-funded research programme. This role offers an exciting opportunity to reveal the organising principles by which the physical and metabolic landscape orchestrates the behaviours of tissues over time. By revealing these principles, the programme aims to transform our understanding of how tissues form, adapt and become disordered, laying the foundations for predicting and ultimately controlling these processes. You will combine dynamic experimental systems with live imaging and single-cell analysis to uncover the rules that shape multicellular tissues, while contributing to a dynamic and inclusive research environment.
Responsibilities
- Designing and building innovative experimental systems that combine tunable hydrogels and fluidic systems with live imaging to reveal how mammary epithelial tissues respond to dynamic physical and metabolic change.
- Tracking how individual cells behave and how their metabolic and mechanical states change, using quantitative image analysis and live-cell biosensors, whilst working with computational researchers to uncover the organising principles of multicellular tissues.
- Develop and test bold hypotheses about how mechanics and metabolism form a coupled system that constrains which behaviours are available to individual cells, thereby shaping how tissues form, adapt and become disordered.
- Challenge assumptions, interpret findings critically and bring your own ideas to help shape the scientific direction of an ambitious research programme.
- Help build a research culture that is fun, open, bold and curious, where ideas are shared freely, collaboration thrives and everyone is empowered to do their best science.
Reasons to use Rodeo
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.
It 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.
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.
About You
We welcome candidates who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and approaches to their work.
Essential Criteria:
- A PhD (or be close to completion) in cell biology, developmental biology, mechanobiology, biophysics or a related discipline.
- Experience in live-cell or live-tissue imaging.
- Experience of quantitative image analysis and analysing biological datasets using computational tools such as Fiji, Python, MATLAB or similar.
- The ability to think creatively, design rigorous experiments and interpret complex biological data.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across experimental and computational disciplines.
Desirable Criteria:
- Experience investigating how physical or metabolic cues regulate cell behaviour or tissue organisation.
- Experience developing or applying dynamic experimental systems, including biomaterials, hydrogels, microfluidics or related approaches.
- Experience with mammalian epithelial models or advanced live-cell imaging approaches.
- Experience developing bespoke image analysis workflows or quantitative analysis pipelines.
- Evidence of scientific creativity and independence appropriate to career stage.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Benefits
- Generous employer contribution pension
- 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays, along with Christmas closure
- Ride to work and EV car scheme available
Application Information
For more information, please see University of Manchester Benefits. You can also find information on our Flexible and Hybrid working here.
We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech Policy.
Enquiries about the role, shortlisting and interviews
- Name: John Robert Davis
- Email Address: john-robert.davis@manchester.ac.uk
General enquiries and administrative support
- Email Address: recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk
Technical and job portal support
Note: This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must demonstrate the right to work in the UK.
Applications close at midnight on the closing date.
Further particulars (with person specification) linked below.
“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