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The University
A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.
As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high-quality work/life balance. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people’s lives.
We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world.
Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.
Our University Strategy
Our Purpose and Values
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Durham? information page.
The Role and Department
The Department of Biosciences is composed of 68 academic staff and research fellows; around 50 research and technical support staff; over 90 Research Postgraduate students and over 500 Single Honours undergraduate students. We offer a 3-year BSc degree programme in Biological Sciences and a 4-year MBiol, while also contributing to Natural Sciences. We also run a PGT in Plant Biotechnology with further PGT programmes scheduled for future delivery. Our research and teaching is supported by outstanding research infrastructure in advanced bioimaging (including super-resolution, confocal and electron microscopy), genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, high-performance computing and field research. We promote research at the interface with other disciplines.
The Dept. of Biosciences is currently ranked in the top 5 UK Biology Departments in University league tables (4th in the Guardian University Guide, 5th in The Complete University Guide) and has a 100% internationally recognised research environment (REF2021). Our basic science underpins applications across each-and-every sector of the bio-economy, including Biotechnology, Ecology and Agritechnology. Research programmes are grouped in the following areas: Molecular Plant Sciences; Biomolecular Interactions; Ecology, Evolution and Environment; and Animal Cells and Systems. These groups organise focused seminar series, Research Away Days, manage joint research facilities, oversee mentoring, internal peer review and serve to nucleate larger research projects. Along with our excellent research facilities such as bioimaging, proteomics, metabolomics and genomics we offer a high quality and supportive environment for our research staff.
The Dept. of Biosciences partners with other areas of research strength in Durham University including Computational Sciences and Chemistry, and encourages multidisciplinary research for Health and Wellbeing.
The Department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award. Athena SWAN is a national initiative that recognises the advancement of gender equality, representation and progression. The Department embraces excellence in all of its forms and invites all qualified applicants to apply. We particularly welcome applications from women and black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in the academic sector.
The Role
Applications are invited for a PDRA to conduct research in a collaborative project with Fundecitrus, a Brazilian association maintained by citrus growers and juice manufacturers from the State of São Paulo to foster the sustainable development of the citrus industry.
Project Title “Developing novel protein-based strategies for the control of insect pests.”
Our research group focusses on the exploitation of venom-derived neurotoxic peptides for the control of insect pests and this project builds upon an established collaboration with Fundecitrus to explore opportunities to develop new strategies for the control of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. D. citri is a key vector of the phloem-limited bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), that causes Huanglongbing, the most serious and currently incurable disease of citrus worldwide.
This role will involve the generation of expression constructs and the production, purification, and characterisation of recombinant proteins. The Artificial Intelligence platform Alpha-fold and Alpha-fold 2 will be used to design expression constructs and proteins will be produced using the yeast Pichia pastoris by bench-top fermentation. Characterisation of protein products will involve working with model insect pests (aphids and lepidopteran larvae) and a non-target pollinator such as bumble bees (Bombus terrestris ). We are looking for an excellent communicator, both in oral and written form, who is able to collaborate effectively with our partner organisation Fundecitrus.
In addition to this research project, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to the day-to-day management of the laboratory as detailed in the requirements and responsibilities given below. The post is fixed term for 12 months and the successful candidate will be working with Dr Fitches.
Responsibilities :
This post is fixed term for 12 months for this fixed period only (1st January 2024 – 31st December 2024) and the successful candidate will be working with Dr Elaine Fitches.
The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.
Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1st January 2024
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.
As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities and people from racially minoritised ethnic groups.
We are committed to equality: if for any reason you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of research outputs, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. We also understand that the Covid-19 pandemic will have had differential impacts on different people and welcome information on this if you wish to share it. The selection committee will recognise that this may have reduced the quantity of your research accordingly
The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Employer status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
Contact Information
Department contact for academic-related enquiries
Dr Elaine Fitches, e.c.fitches@durham.ac.uk
Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application
If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk
Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).
University contact for general queries about the recruitment process
If you have any general queries about the recruitment process please contact the recruitment team on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.
How to Apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
What to Submit
All applicants are asked to submit:
Next Steps
Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around TBC.
In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria:
Qualifications
1. A PhD (or be close to submission) in biology or biochemistry.
Experience and Skills
2. Significant experience in the design and cloning of hybrid recombinant proteins for expression in yeast (PCR, primer design, sequence analysis, E. coli and yeast transformation).
3. Experience in the production of recombinant proteins by bench-top fermentation.
4. Experience of using alpha fold and alpha fold2 software to predict protein structure
5. Experience of insect physiology (bioassays, dissection, tissue/protein sample preparation)
6. Experience in biochemical methods (SDS-PAGE, native PAGE, Western blotting etc)
7. Excellent written and verbal communication skills- demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
8. Excellent organisational skills -including team and independent working and working to strict deadlines
Desirable Criteria:
Experience
9. Experience of transient expression of proteins in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana )
10. Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
11. A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
12. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.
13. Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.
Skills
14. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.
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