Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Reading - School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences

Full Time, Fixed Term (31/07/2028)

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 10 October 2025. Interview Date: 20 October 2025.

This exciting position in computational biology combines the development of novel computational methods involving control theory with practical systems modelling, simulation, and data analysis, applied first and foremost to the field of platelet biology and haemostasis. The postholder will play a key role in a project that will develop novel computational means for the objective evaluation of purpose in biology. These theoretical efforts are paired with a bespoke experimental programme focusing on cell communication and coordination, which innovatively considers thrombi as “transient tissues”.

For this multidisciplinary project, we are looking for a highly motivated computational biologist who holds a PhD in a relevant field with a commensurate publication record. We welcome applications from candidates that have acquired their skills in technical fields like physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or computer science, as long as they have had prior experience in applying these skills to biology or allied fields, like neuroscience and medicine. However, candidates without prior exposure to cell biology, and specifically platelet biology and haemostasis, are expected to rapidly acquire the necessary domain knowledge and be interested in building a career in the field.

The postholder will work closely with the experimental team in the School of Biological Sciences and the Reading School of Pharmacy, which will include a second PDRA starting on the project at the same time. Strong communication skills and an ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment are hence essential. Additional outreach and dissemination strategies are integrated into the project (e.g., video blogs and academic workshops) and the post holder will be expected to support these activities.

Scientific context

Purpose is fundamental to our existence, from everyday aims to grand questions about life. However, animals also have goals they pursue; plants grow towards the light, and even bacteria move away from acid. Goal-directed behavior is evident in all living things. Yet the way biologists talk about purpose remains at a conceptual or narrative level. This stands in marked contrast to biological mechanisms which are addressed directly, empirically, and statistically. The reason is that we know how to test hypotheses about mechanisms but no similar method currently exists for purpose. Our goal is to create “purpose fitting”, a way of evaluating hypotheses about purpose with empirical data and statistics. This will add a new standard of statistical analysis and ultimately change the role of purpose in biology. Our accompanying experimental programme in platelet biology and hemostasis, while designed to scaffold this computational development, also has its own research goal. Our experimenters are pioneers in considering thrombi as transient tissues rather than as a collection of individual cells; and we have an exciting experimental programme that systematically investigates how platelet communication and coordination help to protect mammals from blood loss.

You will have:

• a PhD in an area relevant to the project, like biology, physics, applied mathematics
• previous experience with computational modelling, method development, and numerical analysis applied to biology (or allied fields like neuroscience and medicine)
• the ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team
• a publication record and experience of presenting at conferences
• knowledge of, or willingness to rapidly learn about, cell biology in general and platelet biology and haemostasis in particular

For more information, please contact:

Contact Name: Prof Ingo Bojak

Contact Job Title: Professor in Health and Computational Neuroscience

Contact Email address: i.bojak@reading.ac.uk

Alternative Contact Name: Prof Jonathan Gibbins

Alternative Contact Job Title: Professor of Cell Biology

Alternative Contact Email address: j.m.gibbins@reading.ac.uk

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.