Research Fellow - School of Engineering - 107860 - Grade 7

University of Birmingham
United Kingdom
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeGBP 36,636 - 46,049Function: Research & Scientific (R&D)Education: phdSkills: ["Troubleshooting","Independent planning","Scientific communication","Collaboration","Research supervision"]

Lead the design, statistical optimisation, and validation of nucleic-acid amplification assays for clinically relevant bladder cancer DNA targets. Develop assay workflows that achieve rapid femtomolar detection with robust separation between true positives and negatives, including single-nucleotide variants and low-abundance allele fractions. Integrate optimised reactions with a photonics diagnostic platform, translate results from synthetic to urine-derived DNA, and produce publication, grant, IP, and reporting outputs while coordinating with multidisciplinary teams.

Loading

Loading job details...

Preparing the role view and application actions.

FursaFursa
University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
2 days ago

Research Fellow - School of Engineering - 107860 - Grade 7

✓ Verified Job

Canonical indexed version, validated from employer's careers page.

Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 2 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Lead the design, statistical optimisation, and validation of nucleic-acid amplification assays for clinically relevant bladder cancer DNA targets. Develop assay workflows that achieve rapid femtomolar detection with robust separation between true positives and negatives, including single-nucleotide variants and low-abundance allele fractions. Integrate optimised reactions with a photonics diagnostic platform, translate results from synthetic to urine-derived DNA, and produce publication, grant, IP, and reporting outputs while coordinating with multidisciplinary teams.
Location: United Kingdom
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Research & Scientific (R&D)
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Lead development and optimisation of biomolecular assays for bladder-cancer-associated DNA variants, including statistical optimisation and validation.
  • •Apply algorithmic/statistical and machine-learning approaches to improve assay sensitivity, specificity, speed, and positive-negative separation.
  • •Design and evaluate sequence-selective assays for single-nucleotide variants, including low variant allele fractions in wild-type DNA mixtures.
  • •Characterise analytical performance metrics (e.g., limit of detection, selectivity, specificity, reproducibility, time-to-detection, false-positive behaviour) and perform receiver-operating-characteristic analysis.
  • •Integrate optimised assays into a photonics diagnostic workflow and translate reactions from synthetic targets to urine-derived DNA, producing research outputs, reports, and contributions to IP and funding applications.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: GBP 36,636 - 46,049

Key Requirements

  • •A PhD awarded or near completion in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology, biotechnology, nucleic-acid diagnostics, or a closely related discipline, or equivalent PhD-level research experience.
  • •Hands-on experience designing, developing, and optimising nucleic-acid amplification assays, including direct practical experience with isothermal techniques.
  • •Demonstrable experience using statistical methods to optimise multi-parameter biochemical or nucleic-acid amplification reactions.
  • •Experience applying machine learning to optimise and guide iterative laboratory experiments.
  • •Strong molecular-biology skills including PCR/qPCR and nucleic-acid handling and purification (plus methods such as restriction-enzyme workflows and gel electrophoresis).
Experience:Bladder cancerNucleic-acid diagnosticsMolecular diagnosticsBiomolecular assaysPhotonicsMachine learning
Education:PhD / Doctorate
Skills:TroubleshootingIndependent planningScientific communicationCollaborationResearch supervision
Tech Stack:PythonMachine LearningStatistical methodsNucleic-acid amplificationIsothermal techniquesPCRQPCROligonucleotide designRestriction enzymesGel electrophoresisPlate-readerSpectrophotometric assaysFluorescence-based readoutsLabel-free photonicsMicrofluidic handlingTemperature controlData-analysis scriptsVersion-controlled analysis files

Company Brief

University of Birmingham
A major UK research university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across a wide range of disciplines; known for research, teaching excellence, and international partnerships.
Industry: Higher Education
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 500M to 1B
Growth: Government & Public Sector
Funding: Government Funded
Headquarters: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Founded: 1900
WebsiteLinkedIn