Research Fellow in Environmental Sensors

Organisation: CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Research Field: Biological sciences, Environmental science, Geosciences

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country: United Kingdom

Final date to receive applications: 3 Feb 2026 - 00:00 (UTC)

Type of

Contract:

Other

Job Status: Full‑time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

Organisation: Cranfield University

Faculty or Department: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire

Hours of work: 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.

Contract type: Fixed term contract

Fixed Term Period: Until 31 October 2027

Salary: Full time starting salary (if PhD close to completion) is normally in the range of £34,450 per annum;
Full time starting salary (if PhD obtained) is normally in the range of £37,337 per annum

Apply by: 03/02/2026

We welcome applications from a Research Fellow with a strong passion for and experience in biosensing, microfluidics, microbiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The successful candidate will join our Advanced Sensors team and contribute to the One Health Environmental Sensing project, which focuses on the development of novel sensors to enhance the understanding of multi‑drug resistance and track antimicrobial resistance using a One Health approach.

The postholder’s primary responsibility is to conduct cutting‑edge research on environmental sensor development for monitoring pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes, utilizing state‑of‑the‑art facilities in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory at Cranfield University. This will involve cutting‑edge tools, including CRISPR/Cas diagnostics, paper‑based microfluidics, high‑throughput single‑cell analysis using droplet‑based microfluidics, in collaboration with Harvard University and industrial partners. The successful candidate will be working with Professors Zhugen Yang and Frederic Coulon in Cranfield, and they are likely to be seconded to a partner University for collaborative study, subject to progress.

Cranfield University has a proud reputation for its research on the science, engineering and management of water, and we have been driving innovation for over 40 years. You will contribute a major UKRI‑funded programme, tackling one of the most urgent global health challenges. The successful candidate will join a vibrant, interdisciplinary collaboration bringing together leading expertise in biosensing, microfluidics, microbiology, and environmental health.

You will contribute to the delivery of Cranfield University’s research portfolio in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory for Water‑Environment‑Health, led by Professor Zhugen Yang.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a transformative UKRI‑funded research programme addressing one of the most pressing global health challenges, in collaboration with leading experts in the areas of biosensing and microfluidics, microbiology, and environmental health.

You will hold a doctoral degree (or be near completion) in biosensing, microfluidics, environmental science, microbiology or a related discipline. You will have demonstrable experience with experimental skill sets, including sensor development, wastewater surveillance, or reverse inference modelling for source tracking. You will bring laboratory expertise in designing experiments, handling advanced instruments, and troubleshooting. Collaboration and mentoring within interdisciplinary teams are also desirable.

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world‑class expertise, large‑scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

The group has received national and international acclaim, including coverage in Science, BBC News, and The Washington Post for its research on wastewater monitoring and origami‑based paper sensors.

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