Postdoctoral Scientist in Immunoregulation of Vaccine Responses

Location: Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ and on occasion, NDM Research Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7FZ

Salary: Grade 7: £37,524 - £45,763 with a discretionary range to £49,850 p.a. The salary quoted is made up of two elements: your base salary and an Oxford University Weighting (OUW), which is a fixed-rate payment in addition to your base salary.

We have an exciting opportunity for an innovative, highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Scientist with a background in cellular immunology and immunoregulation to join a group carrying out basic research to inform vaccine design led by Professor Persephone Borrow and Emeritus Professor Andrew McMichael in the Oxford Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine.

You will extend ongoing work using multi-omic immune profiling and functional assays to identify immune features/mechanisms facilitating the development of HIV-1 broadly neutralising antibodies (bnAbs) during infection, and underlying optimal expansion/maturation of bnAb lineage B cells in phase I HIV-1 vaccine trials. You will also exploit in vitro culture/organoid models to develop novel strategies for minimising immunoregulatory constraints on vaccine-induced humoral responses. You will be responsible for driving your own academic research intellectually and technically, using immunological experience and evaluation of literature data to develop hypotheses, and cellular immunology techniques and computational/bioinformatic approaches to test them. You will manage your research and administrative activities to meet deadlines. You will perform innovative lab-based experimental work, adapting existing and developing new scientific techniques and experimental protocols, and applying bioinformatic tools to analyse data; synergising with other team members. You will also lead on writing scientific reports and manuscripts, and present research both internally and externally. In addition, you will contribute ideas for future research directions and funding applications.

Minimum Requirements: To be successful in this role, it is essential that you hold a PhD in immunology or a related biomedical science field, together with postdoctoral research experience and specialist knowledge in T cell immunity, immunoregulation, and/or systems immunology analysis of immune responses. You will have experience in cellular immunological techniques including multiparameter flow cytometry, in vitro lymphocyte (co)culture and/or organoid systems, T cell cloning and functional assays; and experience with R and Python, and use of bioinformatic tools for analysis of high-dimensional data. You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, together with strong organisational skills and the ability to work independently and with other team members.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application. Your supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience.

This position is offered full time on a fixed term contract until 30^th June 2026 and is funded by the NIH.

Only applications received before 12 midday on Friday 4^th October 2024 will be considered. Please quote 174941 on all correspondence.