Postdoctoral Research Associate in Bio-Upcycling
Salary: £41,064.00 – £48,822.00 per annum
Institution: School of Biological Sciences, College of Science & Engineering, University of Edinburgh
Type: Full‑time (35 hrs per week), Fixed term (18 months)
The Opportunity
A post‑doctoral research position is available within the CIRCBIONET project, part of the Wallace Lab at the University of Edinburgh. The role will focus on engineering microbial systems to convert plastic waste into high‑value chemicals, advancing sustainable, circular biomanufacturing for the speciality chemicals sector. Working at the interface of engineering biology, metabolic pathway design and waste valorisation, you will help develop integrated biotechnological routes that transform waste polymers into target molecules for the nutrition and healthcare industries. You will collaborate with leading researchers in the UK and Singapore to deliver next‑generation sustainable chemical technologies.
Key Responsibilities
* Design and engineer de novo metabolic pathways in bacteria to valorise plastic waste.
* Develop and optimise microbial fermentation processes for high‑yield, high‑purity chemical production.
* Apply organic chemistry, chemical synthesis and chemistry‑biology techniques to support pathway construction.
* Use analytical chemistry methods to quantify fermentation end‑products and monitor process performance.
* Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to translate laboratory findings into scalable, industrially relevant processes.
Required Skills and Experience
* Experience in the design and engineering of de novo metabolic pathways in bacteria.
* Proven experience in microbial fermentation processes.
* Background in organic chemistry, chemical synthesis, or chemical biology.
* Experience in analytical chemistry to quantify fermentation end‑products.
* Strong communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment.
Application Information
* CV
* Cover letter
Benefits
* A competitive salary.
* An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding workplace.
* Opportunity to work at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing, contributing to transformative bio‑upcycling technologies.
* Part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
* Comprehensive staff benefits: generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family‑friendly initiatives.
Diversity and Equality
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award, is a member of the Race Equality Charter and a Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champion. We actively promote LGBT equality and will require evidence of the right to work in the UK before employment commences.
Key Dates
Closing time for applications: 11:59 pm GMT.
How to Apply
Please submit a CV and cover letter via the University of Edinburgh Careers portal. For the full job description and application details, visit the Careers page.
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