"Postdoctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term)"

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position to work in the group of Dr Felipe Karam Teixeira in the Department of Genetics in central Cambridge.

The successful candidate will work on a long-term, Wellcome Trust-funded project that brings together the groups of Dr Karam Teixeira and Professor Richard Durbin and focuses on dissecting how transposable elements shape the evolution of eukaryotic genomes. The Karam Teixeira group is interested in dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying the co-evolution of transposable elements and hosts. It uses Drosophila as a model to study transposable element biology, germline development, epigenetic regulation and inheritance, and small RNA-based defence mechanisms. The Durbin group is a world leader in computational genomics and large-scale genome science, including the development of new algorithms and statistical methods to analyse genome sequencing data. Moving forward, the labs are jointly building an interdisciplinary research team that will combine large-scale experimental evolution studies in the lab with innovative computational methods to uncover how transposons invade and spread across genomes and how host machineries eventually tame them.

For this position, we are seeking someone to lead the experimental work on transposon invasion dynamics in Drosophila. Applicants should have completed a PhD in biological sciences and have experience in a wide range of molecular biology techniques. We encourage candidates with prior experience in transposable element biology, germline, and/or small RNA biology. Having prior expertise in next-generation sequencing methods (RNA-seq, small RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, Hi-C or DNA-seq) and long-read sequencing technology would be an advantage. Previous experience with fly genetics and/or confocal microscopy (smFISH or HCR) would be beneficial, although training can be provided where necessary. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, have strong verbal and communication skills, and possess strong problem-solving abilities to work independently, drive the project in innovative directions, and manage large-scale experiments. The successful candidate is expected to work productively with wet and dry researchers in an interdisciplinary research environment.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For informal enquiries about the role please contact Dr Felipe Karam Teixeira (fk319@cam.ac.uk).

Please quote reference PC48219 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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Key information

• Department/location: Department of Genetics
• Salary: £37,694-£46,049
• Reference: PC48219
• Category: Research
• Date published: 9 December 2025
• Closing date: 25 January 2026