Job Description Job Summary

We are seeking to appoint a Research Associate to join a world-leading and dynamic research team at the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London. you will join the Transmission Zero project ( https://www.transmissionzero.org/ ), a global malaria research programme co-led by Dr. Nikolai Windbichler ( https://www.windbichlerlab.org/ ) and Prof. George Christophides based at Imperial’s South Kensington Campus. The project is at the intersection of synthetic biology, vector biology and parasitology, and is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Duties And Responsibilities

The goal of the Transmission Zero project is to develop new and innovative genetic approaches for the control of mosquito vectors of malaria, contributing to the global effort for malaria elimination. In particular, you will develop and characterize novel types of CRISPR/Cas9 gene drives that facilitates the spread of transgenes into wild Anopheles mosquito... populations. These transgenes will be designed to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum to humans. The project is part of the wider collaborative Transmission Zero network including African partners, and thus the role will involve a high degree of teamwork and interdisciplinary research.

Essential Requirements
• Research Associate: PhD (or equivalent) in Biological Sciences or a related scientific discipline
• Research Assistant: Near completion of a PhD (or equivalent) in Biological Sciences or a related scientific discipline
• Demonstrable experience of working with either mosquitoes or other insects
• High level of expertise and skills in molecular/synthetic biology
• A successful track record of academic publications commensurate with experience
• Practical experience of working within a highly competitive research environment
• Good knowledge of insect genetics and transgenesis
Further information

This is a full time, fixed term position until 31 December 2023, with the possibility of extension. You will be based at South Kensington Campus.

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 - £41,388 per annum.

Should you require any further details on the role please contact: Dr. Nikolai Windbichler – [email protected]

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-research
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