Position Summary:
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral researcher in plant biochemistry within the Lancaster Photosynthesis team under the supervision of Dr Doug Orr. This new position will join the Plant Biology grouping within the Lancaster Environment Centre, which consists of roughly 40 people including PIs, postdoctoral researchers, research technicians and postgraduate students.
This is part of a new BBSRC-funded project that focuses on improving our understanding of Rubisco activity, and pursuing a novel target for increasing Rubisco activity in plants and cyanobacteria. This project is in collaboration with Prof. Martin Cann at Durham University. At Lancaster we will focus on understanding Rubisco activity of recombinant proteins in vitro, and testing these in planta to understand the impact of mutations on leaf level photosynthesis.
The ideal candidate for this position in Plant Biochemistry will have a genuine interest and the curiosity to pursue new research avenues in Rubisco. With training and support, you will be responsible for leading in vitro and in vivo research to advance the understanding of Rubisco activity. You will lead the molecular and biochemical study of novel Rubisco variants to build fundamental understanding, and lead the physiological characterisation of plants expressing these proteins. You will design and carry out experimental and computational work, analyse data, present results in oral and written form and lead the preparation of scientific manuscripts.
You will join the collaborative and supportive Lancaster Photosynthesis team and have access to state-of-the-art resources, including a well-equipped lab for plant molecular biology and biochemistry work using ionising radiation, high-specification plant growth chambers, and the Lancaster High End Computing (HEC) Cluster. Professional development opportunities and training courses to broaden your expertise and skills will be encouraged and are covered by the project.
Individuals from all diversity groups are encouraged to apply. LEC offers a collegial and stimulating environment for career development, based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis, as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. Furthermore, we are active and progressive around sustainability, wellbeing and social justice agendas.
Timeframe:
This position is available from 01/09/2025, with candidates ideally available to start soon after this date, however this is negotiable.
You will join us on an indefinite contract however the role remains contingent on external funding. This position will initially have an end date of 30/08/2028.
We anticipate interviews will be held within 3 weeks of the closing date.
To apply for this post:
In reading your application documents, we are assessing if you are a good fit to this position and if this position is a good fit for you. To be able to do this, we need you to tell us about your expertise and experience to date, and your research interests. We want to know about the skills you had the opportunity to develop, put within the context of your previous study/work environment by, for example, briefly describing the research facilities available to you, and whether you had opportunities to attend conferences/scientific meetings and develop transferable skills. Please let us know if you have had a career break for any reason so that we can consider the achievements listed on your CV, including your publication record, in relation to these factors.
What to include in each section of your application?
Cover letter: Please discuss why you are interested in this position, your career goals, and how you anticipate this position will help you achieve those goals. Please also describe the skills you have developed that are relevant to this post and tell us about any skills you want to develop further. It is helpful for us to know your contribution toward the achievements and experiences listed on your CV that are relevant to this post.
CV: Please include the following sections: Scientific interests; Education history; Professional experience/Employment history; Areas of expertise/Skills; Publications; Presentations. And, if applicable: Honours/Awards/Prizes/Funding (e.g. travel grant, best poster); Academic service (e.g. review of manuscripts); Outreach; Career development (e.g. training courses or workshops).
Supporting Statements: Please provide a supporting statement for each criterium in the Personal Specification document that is listed as being scored via “Supporting Statements”. This should include examples that provide evidence of your experience and expertise. Aim for one paragraph per criterium (~50-200 words).
Referees: Contact information for at least two referees.
For enquiries relating to this post, please contact:
Dr Doug Orr d.j.orr@lancaster.ac.uk.
Further details on our research and team are available here:
http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/lancsphotosynthesis/
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/people/douglas-orr