About the University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland offers life-changing opportunities for 27,500 students across its campuses in Sunderland, London, Hong Kong, and through global partnerships with learning institutions in 19 countries. We're proud to be a top 50 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2024), with top-quality facilities, inclusive culture, and our vibrant, ever-changing city.
The University of Sunderland is in an exciting phase of its development with a new vision and redefined strategic ambitions designed to take advantage of the ever-changing higher education landscape at home and overseas.
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results, University of Sunderland doubled its proportion of world-leading (4 star) or internationally excellent (3 star) rated research since its 2014 submissions. 89% of the published research was rated as 'internationally excellent' in the Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy category demonstrating continued growth and development in research.
About the role
An excellent opportunity has arisen for an early career scientist, funded by the John Dawson Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute, to join a dynamic, multidisciplinary drug discovery team focused on antibiotic discovery. You will play a central role in the isolation of bioactive metabolites produced from Streptomyces strains.
The University of Sunderland has undergone significant expansion thanks to a major step-change in the University's ambitions, building on the £75 million already invested on facilities in the last five years. Indeed, the University is expected to invest a further £250 million over the next 10 years to transform facilities for students and staff underscoring a bold and ambitious outlook.
The Senior Research Assistant post is available for a fixed period of 12 months.
What you can bring
The ideal candidate will join a research team led by Dr Nick Allenby. His lab is primarily focused on identifying and developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infections. You will be expected to have experience of working in a laboratory environment and have demonstrated the ability to communicate well, work effectively within a team and maintain good laboratory record. Willingness to work flexibly and under pressure to achieve project goals is also essential.
This project builds on previous work where Streptomyces strains producing bioactive natural products have been isolated and have shown to be bioactive towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. You will be responsible for the extraction, purification, and characterisation of novel antimicrobial compounds using a range of chemical isolation techniques. The compounds will undergo a range of cellular, molecular biology and biochemical assays, including biological activity profiling using antimicrobial susceptibility assays and toxicity screening (using collaborators or CROs). It is desirable for the candidate to have experience in one or more of these methodological approaches.
What we can offer you
Our University is not just a place of academic excellence, but also a community that embraces inclusivity and support. We value our staff and offer a rewarding package that goes beyond just salary. At the University of Sunderland, we prioritise not only your professional growth but also your happiness and well-being.
* Enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement of 31 days, along with an additional 5 closure days over the Christmas break and 8 Bank Holidays.
* Enrolment into our pension scheme, ensuring your financial security for the future.
* Access to our "My Lifestyle Benefits Platform", where you can enjoy online discounts at hundreds of retailers every day. Plus, take advantage of exclusive schemes that allow you to purchase a new car, bike, or technology at a discounted rate.
* Your health and well-being are important to us. That's why we provide access to discounted private medical insurance, health cash plans, and guidance on financial well-being.
* Maintaining an active lifestyle is made easy with discounted membership for CitySpace Fitness, our state-of-the-art facility for sports and social activities.
Equality, diversity & inclusion
We strongly believe that an inclusive university, where a diverse range of individuals feel valued and have equal opportunity to get into work and reach their potential, is good for our staff, students, university, and society.
Our work on equality, diversity and inclusivity has never been more important. We believe inclusivity is an essential value at the heart of what we do, and we want all our staff to be part of that journey with us.
Our recent staff survey conducted in 2023 showed that 97% of our staff believed that we were committed to achieving an inclusive university.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 17th September GMT).
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Nick Allenby, email
Note that you will be asked to upload a CV as part of the application process.
Job Details
Department
Health Sciences & Wellbeing Research Institutes
Location
Sunderland Campus
Salary
£31,604 to £36,545
Hours per Week
37
Closing Date
Wednesday 17 September 2025
Interview Date
To be confirmed
Reference
0297-25