Description MRC Postdoctoral Research Scientist (LMS 2322) Salary: £42,694 plus London allowance (£5,560) per annum* *Additional allowances comprise a £1,000 lump sum Settlement Allowance plus a yearly Training Allowance of £850 in the first year, paid in monthly instalments. The Training Allowance increases to £1,300 in year two, £1,800 in year three 3 years fixed term | Full time | Location: Hammersmith London Closing Date: 14 June 2026 Overall purpose: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances, both synthetic and natural, that interfere with hormonal systems, harming organisms and ecosystems. Once in the soil, EDCs persist, bioaccumulate, and disrupt ecosystems, damaging organisms that play vital roles in soil health but little is known about the role of microbes in their bioavailability. The Host-Microbe Co-Metabolism group is tackling this challenge by developing novel high-throughput technologies for the fast identification of EDC-microbe interaction. Our multidisciplinary approach integrates genome engineering, invertebrate and vertebrate models of toxicity, quantitative high-throughput phenotyping and omics approaches. These systems support quantitative and mechanistic studies, allowing us to address questions across kingdoms (Pryor et al., Cell, 2019, Martinez et al 2025 Cell Systems). The ideal candidate will be highly motivated to develop new tools and methodologies to uncover regulatory principles of EDC action on the holobiont. The role offers opportunities to pursue independent research ideas within the lab’s core focus, with strong support for career development and scientific training. We’re seeking a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral scientist with a strong proven background in molecular biology and organismal biology to develop new genetic tools and methodologies, to dissect and capture EDC function at scale and how they impact invertebrate and mammalian physiology. The role offers opportunities to pursue independent research ideas within the lab’s core focus, with strong support for career development and scientific training. We welcome applicants eager to join and contribute to a collaborative and multidisciplinary team environment. Main duties / key responsibilities: Design and conduct high-quality, independent research aligned with project aims Critically analyse, interpret, and present experimental data with rigor and reproducibility Stay up to date with relevant literature and integrate new findings and techniques into your research Develop and refine experimental methods and protocols as needed Participate fully in lab meetings, presenting research progress and contributing to discussions Provide support and mentorship to students and junior researchers as required Take part in journal clubs and internal seminar programmes Present findings at national and international conferences (where appropriate) Contribute to day-to-day lab operations and shared responsibilities Collaborate effectively within the group and with external collaborators Additional information: Applicants should have a PhD in a relevant discipline, with a strong commitment to scientific excellence and teamwork. This is an MRC Postdoctoral Scientist position to support post-doctoral training and help establish successful research scientists in their chosen field. During the fellowship tenure we are committed to provide mentorship for career development and improvement of communication skills. We also offer a highly attractive benefits package including competitive salary and salary pension scheme. Person requirements Education / Qualifications / Training required (will be assessed from the application): Essential: PhD (or equivalent experience) in a relevant biology field (e.g., molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics) Previous work experience required (will be assessed from the application and at the interview ): Essential: Significant practical expertise in molecular biology techniques such as PCR, cloning, CRISPR/Cas9 Experience in design and/or generation and validation of new C. elegans strains. (eg. knockouts, reporters, epitope-tagging etc) and/or mammalian cell lines. Significant practical expertise in C. elegans and/or 2D/3D mammalian cell culture techniques or mouse models. Experience in modifying bacterial cells using genome engineering approaches Experience in generating and/or analysing and integrating different high throughput sequencing data to study gene regulation, such RNA-seq Experience in generating and/or analysing and integrating high-throughput sequencing data. Desirable: Significant practical expertise in C. elegans and/or 2D/3D mammalian cell culture techniques or mouse models. Experience in modifying bacterial cells using genome engineering approaches Experience in generating and/or analysing and integrating different high throughput sequencing data to study gene regulation, such RNA-seq Experience in generating and/or analysing and integrating high-throughput sequencing data. Knowledge and experience (will be assessed from the application and at the interview): Essential: Strong conceptual background and interest in at least one of the following areas: toxicology, pharmacology, physiology and host-microbe interactions, systems biology. Excellent written communication skills in English At least one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed international journal or available as a preprint Experience presenting scientific data at national or international scientific conferences Desirable: Experience presenting scientific data at national or international scientific conferences Personal Skills / Behaviours / Qualities (will be assessed at interview): Essential: Enthusiastic and collaborative team player Ability to conduct research independently, including the design, execution, and analysis of experiments Eagerness to learn and acquire new skills, troubleshoot experiments, and apply creative approaches to scientific questions Willingness to work flexible hours as needed by the project, and to travel for conferences or research collaborations Excellent verbal communication skills in English Additional information: Applicants must submit CV, names and contacts of two scientific references along with a cover letter stating why you are applying for this role (providing evidence against the requirements of the job as per the job description and person specification). Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted. Please note that applications may be reviewed by both LMS and Imperial staff