Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Generative Biology Institute

About the Institute

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we translate scientific discovery into real‑world impact. Our focus spans four transformative areas:
Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology;
Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture;
Climate Change & Managing CO₂; and Artificial Intelligence & Robotics.

Led by Founding Director Jason Chin, the Generative Biology Institute (GBI) tackles the challenges of making biology engineerable. We aim to write in biology’s natural language and determine which DNA sequences generate desired functions. The GBI enjoys substantial funding, cutting‑edge technology hubs, and compute resources to support ambitious, collaborative research and translation to commercial applications.

We seek ambitious, creative, and highly skilled Postdoctoral Researchers to join GBI. You will design and execute experiments, contribute to high‑impact publications, and mentor junior researchers. Your work will shape GBI’s vision and drive transformative solutions in biology.

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments; develop novel methodologies and adapt existing techniques.
• Analyse complex datasets with computational and statistical tools.
• Contribute intellectually to research direction by identifying innovation opportunities.
• Prepare and publish scientific papers, reports, presentations, and protocols.
• Present research at conferences, seminars, and internal meetings.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams within GBI, EIT, and external partners.
• Build and maintain research infrastructure and laboratory capabilities.
• Mentor and support junior researchers, including PhD students and research assistants.
• Translate findings into commercial or translational opportunities aligned with EIT’s mission.
• Identify and pursue intellectual property generation and protection.
• Ensure compliance with EIT policies, legal requirements, and best scientific practice.

• Completed a PhD in a relevant field (e.g., synthetic biology, computational biology, AI, microbial/plant/human cell biology, genomics, robotics & automation, nucleic acids chemistry).
• Track record of delivering ambitious research projects to high standards.
• Strong track record in molecular or synthetic biology, or related fields.
• Proficiency in data analysis, genomic analysis, automation, or computational tools.
• Ability to work independently, think creatively, and solve complex experimental problems.
• Experience publishing in high‑impact journals and presenting at international conferences.
• Excellent organisational skills for managing multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication and collaboration skills.
• Capacity to sustain productive collaborations internally and externally.
• Resilience, adaptability, and enthusiasm for a fast‑paced, high‑growth research environment.

• Competitive salary, travel allowance, and bonus.
• Enhanced holiday pay.
• Pension.
• Life assurance.
• Income protection.
• Private medical insurance.
• Hospital cash plan.
• Therapy services.
• Perk Box.
• Electrical car scheme.

• Eligible to work in the UK; travel may be required. Sponsorship is possible on a case‑by‑case basis.
• Must be based in or close to Oxford.
• Longer hours and cross‑time‑zone work may occur during peak periods.