Research Associate

This post represents an exciting opportunity for a motivated researcher to join the Ruscoe Research Group within Keele University's School of Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy, as part of an EPSRC New Investigator Award.

The successful candidate will contribute to an interdisciplinary research programme at the interface of chemical biology and synthetic chemistry. The project will focus on the engineering of enzymes to enable the functionalisation of fragment-based drug molecules, with the aim of developing new biocatalytic approaches for the synthesis and modification of complex molecular scaffolds.

The post holder will be responsible for the expression, engineering and screening of enzymes to identify biocatalysts capable of carrying out novel functionalisation reactions on drug fragments. The role will involve enzyme expression in bacterial systems, assay development and optimisation, protein engineering and directed evolution.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry or a closely related discipline, together with experience in the expression and purification of recombinant enzymes in bacterial systems. Experience in protein engineering and/or directed evolution would be highly desirable.

Benefits include:
- Competitive rate of pay with annual increments within Grade 7 (Keele Spine)
- Generous annual leave entitlement with opportunities to purchase additional leave
- Excellent staff pension scheme
- Access to continued personal, professional and career development
- On site 'outstanding' nursery
- Discounted health & fitness facilities on site
- Cycle to Work scheme (subject to eligibility)

Please note that the starting salary will typically be at the bottom of the pay scale shown above. The University is committed to operating flexible working practices wherever possible.

This appointment is subject to medical clearance by the University's Occupational Health provider.