Postdoctoral Fellow - Johnson Lab

The Francis Crick Institute

Short summary

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to spearhead a project exploring how Mycobacterium tuberculosis survives drug treatment.

Using CRISPRi-based genetic screens and single-cell approaches, you will investigate how gene expression variability drives drug-tolerant subpopulations. This role sits at the intersection of molecular genetics, chemical biology and data science, with strong scope for innovation and collaboration.

Working closely with the team, you will drive experimental design, develop new methods, analyse large-scale datasets and contribute to publications. You will also support training and help foster a collaborative lab environment.

Key Responsibilities

These include but are not limited to:

• Designing experiments and research strategy in consultation with the PI
• Carrying out experiments and analysing data
• Keeping accurate and timely records of their work
• Engaging in professional development and growth
• Liaising with external collaborators
• Presenting work at Lab meetings, conferences and consortium meetings
• Drafting manuscripts for publication

About you

You will have:

• PhD (or near completion) in biological engineering, chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, microbiology or a related field.^*
• Strong experience in bacterial molecular genetics, including CRISPRi and familiarity with high-containment laboratory environments.^*
• Experience with flow cytometry, ideally within bacterial systems.^*
• Solid understanding of next-generation sequencing and core bacterial processes (replication, transcription and translation).^*
• Experience analysing large biological datasets using Python or R.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with strong organisation, attention to detail and communication skills.
• Clear motivation to apply interdisciplinary and quantitative approaches to scientific research.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and disease. Its work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL, Imperial College London and King’s College London.

The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under one building in Europe.

The Francis Crick Institute will be world-class with a strong national role. Its distinctive vision for excellence includes commitments to collaboration; developing emerging talent and exporting it to the rest of the UK; public engagement; and helping turn discoveries into treatments as quickly as possible to improve lives and strengthen the economy.