Predoctoral Internship in Plant Synthetic Biology

Predoctoral Internship in Plant Synthetic Biology

Job Title Predoctoral Internship in Plant Synthetic Biology Post Number 1006147 Closing Date 10 Aug 2026 Grade SC9 Starting Salary Salary: £24,455-£25,455

Hours per week 37 Project Title Putting AI-Designed Promoters to the Test in Plants Months Duration 12 Interview Date 19 Aug 2026

Climate change is outpacing our ability to breed crops that can withstand rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and other environmental stresses. Synthetic biology offers a powerful way to meet this challenge by engineering plants with climate-resilient traits. However, progress is limited by the small number of reliable promoters that allow scientists to control when, where, and how strongly genes are switched on in plants.

Predictive AI models can now help design promoters with specific expression properties, but testing whether these designs work in living plants remains slow and difficult.

This project will address that bottleneck by using a new system to test AI-designed promoters in whole plants at greater scale and in a more controlled and predictable way. By combining AI-guided design with hands-on plant synthetic biology, the project will help build a platform for creating reliable genetic tools and accelerating the engineering of climate-resilient crops.

The post-holder will be embedded within the engineering biology faculty at the Earlham Institute, including the labs of Prof. Anthony Hall and Dr Sarah Guiziou, working with team members, as well as across other faculty groups as appropriate for the project and skills development. Career Development Fellow Dr Will Shaw will be the primary supervisor for the project, guiding the project and teaching experimental techniques across molecular biology and plant science.

They will also interact with other engineering biology researchers, including the Earlham Institute Biofoundry, attend weekly plant engineering biology and plant genomics meetings, and a monthly journal club. The post-holder will work closely with the JIF PhD cohort.

Percentage Construct AI-guided synthetic promoter library driving luciferase reporter, introduce into plants and validate successful stable transformants, and characterise promoter behaviour using whole-plant luminescence imaging. 45 Develop transferable synthetic biology and plant biology skills that will allow the post holder to start a career in plant and/or synthetic biology research. 45 Attend talks and seminars, contribute to lab meetings and other activities as agreed with line manager.

5 Contribute and engage with the student community at the Earlham Institute. 5 As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the role.

Requirement Importance Completed or expect to complete undergraduate or Masters Essential

Requirement Importance Evidence of significant academic achievement Essential Interest in plant sciences and engineering biology Essential

Requirement Importance Experience in molecular biology/synthetic biology Desirable Experience in plant science Desirable

Requirement Importance Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload Essential Good communication skills, both written and verbal Essential Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work well as part of a team Essential

Requirement Importance Attention to detail Essential Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work Essential Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute Essential Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required Essential Demonstrate how this internship contributes to start and develop the candidate’s future career in data-driven plant biology Essential Promotes equality and values diversity Essential

About the Earlham Institute
The Earlham Institute harnesses the power of data-driven biology to accelerate solutions for health, biodiversity, and food security. Based at Norwich Research Park, the Earlham Institute is one of eight institutes strategically funded by BBSRC.

Our science combines world-class technology, interdisciplinary expertise, and training and development across genomics, engineering biology and data science, to decode the scale and complexity of living systems.

We believe we can achieve more if we work together. That's why we collaborate with the global science community and industry partners, while also inspiring the next generation of scientists and technical specialists.

Our Science
Earlham Institute scientists specialise in developing and testing the latest tools and approaches needed to decode living systems and make biological…