Job number
ENG03654
Faculties
Faculty of Engineering
Departments
Department of Bioengineering
Salary or Salary range
£43,863- £57,472 per annum
Location/campus
South Kensington and White City Campus - On site only
Contract type work pattern
Full time - Fixed term
Posting End Date
1 Sep 2025
About the role
Many insects feed on plants. A key part of this interaction is mechanical: insects use sharp mouthparts to fracture plant tissue. Much like human teeth and blades, insect mouthparts wear as a result of this interaction, with presumably major knock-on consequences. How can plants maximise mouthpart wear, and how do insects seek to minimise it?
To understand more about the biomechanics of mandible wear, you will conduct nanowear characterisation of mandible cutting edges, using a state-of-the-art nanoindenter. You will also test the hypothesis that some insect mandibles may work as vibratome, ie that they impose a small-amplitude vibration during cutting to reduce effort or or potentially wear. To test this hypothesis, you will build a novel device around a piezo-element, to then implement a mandible wear assay.
The Research Associate position is funded through an ERC Starting Grant which aims to unravel the biomechanical determinants of insect herbivore performance and behaviour. You will join the ERC team comprised of Dr David Labonte (PI), and PhD students from different disciplines, working on different aspects of this project at the Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London. David's multi-disciplinary group addresses biological questions with a quantitative mechanics framework, including how climbing animals can rapidly control the stickiness of the adhesive organs on their feet, how biological ceramics combine strength and toughness, and the biomechanical determinants of plant feeding in insects. More details can be found on the group's website at evo-
What you would be doing
In this role, you will:
* use a state-of-the-art nanoindenter to characterise the material properties and wear resistance of insect mandibles in different conditions;
* implement a novel method to characterise mandible wear for vibrating vs non-vibrating mandibles.
You will also have the opportunity to supervise MEng/MSc students. Where desired, experiences in other teaching roles, including lecturing, will be enabled as part of the broad range of career development opportunities that Imperial makes available to its postdoctoral research staff. There are several opportunities to visit laboratories across the world for collaborative work.
What we are looking for
To be successful in the role, you will be a friendly, motivated, critical and independent candidate with a PhD (or equivalent) in bioengineering, biomechanics, or related fields, and a keen interest in the intersection between mechanics and biology.
You will ideally have experience in nanoindentation, wear modelling and characterisation, and experimental work with insects. You will need to be able to conduct work with live and dead insects, possess excellent organisational skills, the ability to work toward deadlines with minimal supervision, and have strong written and oral communication skills.
You will be engaging, supportive and motivating in all interactions with other researchers and students in the department, and provide mentorship where appropriate. You will also have a strong interest in being part of a collaborative and inclusive research group.
What we can offer you
* The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
* Grow your career: gain access to Imperial's sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
* Access to Imperial's sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
* Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes)
* Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.
Further information
The post is available to start no later than 01 October 2025 on a full-time on a fixed-term contract for 12 months in the first instance, with any extension subject to research funding.
If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Dr David Labonte at
Closing date: Midnight on Monday 01 September 2025
Available documents
Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
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