Research Fellow

A post-doctoral research fellow position is available in the Fungal Immunology Group within the Institute of Immunology & Immunotherapy, College of Medical & Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, led by Prof Rebecca Drummond. This role is to create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within an established research programme and/or specific research project.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed scientist to join our project team, which is aiming to better understand organ-specific immune responses against fungal pathogens. The successful candidate will make extensive use of a range of in vivo models of fungal infection and will have access to the wide range of transgenic tools and in vivo immunology techniques established in the Drummond lab. Training can be provided in the use of in vivo models. The candidate's research will focus on how fungal pathogens respond to cues encountered in organ-specific environments and how immune cells influence fungal adaptation. This is an exciting opportunity to investigate regulation of fungal adaptation and antifungal immunity in vivo. As an example of the work the team has previously published, please see Mohamed et al, Nature Communications 2023 and Hain et al, Nature Communications 2025. The position would ideally suit someone with a microbiology background looking to expand their skillset into host-pathogen interactions.

The candidate will be based in the Drummond lab, which is part of a larger international consortium funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The candidate will join meetings and meet other team members based in Denmark and Uganda. All groups will work closely together during the project. There will be opportunity for additional training with collaborators to develop a wide range of technical expertise in immunology, neuroscience and microbiology.

Funding for the position is available for 3 years, with possibility of extension. The lab is located within the Institute of Immunology & Immunotherapy at the University of Birmingham, where a collaborative environment exists, rich in immunologists with a range of complementary research interests. The lab also closely works with colleagues in the Institute of Microbiology & Infection who specialise in fungal biology and drug resistance.

Role Summary:
- Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
- Operate within area of specialism
- Analyse and interpret research findings and results
- Contribute to generating funding
- Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success and/or public understanding of the discipline

Main Duties:
- Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding
- Analyse and interpret data
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
- Undertake management/administration arising from research
- Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University
- Collect research data through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
- Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
- Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
- Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
- Foster a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
- Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures

Person Specification:
- A PhD relevant in immunology or microbiology (or near completion), or equivalent PhD level qualifications
- High level analytical capability
- First author publications in peer-reviewed journals
- Previous experience and strong interest in medical mycology, microbiology and/or fungal biology
- Substantial experience of cloning and microbial transformation
- Substantial experience in microbial genetics and sequencing
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
- Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
- Ability to contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
- Ability to co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010

Desirable:
- Proficiency with microbial genetics, molecular microbiology, basic tissue culture and molecular biology techniques
- Prior experience with bioinformatics (microbial sequencing and proteomics)
- Demonstrated prior research success through publications/pre-prints, conference presentations and relevant academic prizes/travel awards