Research Assistant/Postdoc - Plant Biology Institute

About EIT

The Ellison Institute of Technology is establishing a world-class R&D facility at Oxford Science Park to drive sustainable innovation in health, food security, climate change, and AI - transforming breakthrough science into global solutions.

About the Plant Biology Institute

Led by Professor Steve Kelly, the Plant Biology Institute is a key part of EIT Oxford. Its mission is to develop impactful, commercially sustainable solutions to improve global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science.

The Institute brings together world-class researchers focused on enhancing food production while improving climate and ecosystem outcomes. By embedding cutting-edge plant science within an organisation dedicated to solving global challenges, we aim to accelerate the journey from discovery to impact.

Research Areas Include:

• Improving plant productivity indoors and outdoors
• Reducing reliance on water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides
• Developing decarbonised plant-based platforms for food and medicine
• Advancing technologies to accelerate plant research and deployment

EIT is seeking highly motivated Research Assistants and Postdocs to join its pioneering Plant Biology Institute. You’ll contribute to transformative research in biological nitrogen fixation, decarbonised plant-based production platforms for food and medicines, or advanced technologies for plant transformation and genome editing.

This role offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact research at the forefront of plant science, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation from lab to global impact. You’ll design and execute experiments, contribute to publications and IP generation, and help translate research into real-world and commercial solutions aligned with EIT’s mission of humane technological advancement.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments in one of the core topic areas
• Apply a broad range of techniques to meet research objectives
• Maintain accurate records, analyse data, and contribute to reports, publications, and IP protection

Collaboration & Communication

• Work with cross-functional teams to integrate cutting-edge techniques
• Present findings internally and externally
• Mentor graduate students and junior researchers
• Collaborate with experts in AI, automation, and generative biology across EIT

Impact-Driven Research

• Draft scientific papers and contribute to publications
• Support translation of research into commercial opportunities
• Identify and act on opportunities for IP creation and protection

Requirements

• PhD in Plant Biology, Molecular Biotechnology, or a related discipline
• Strong research background in relevant areas
• Understanding (or willingness to learn) the path to impact and incorporate user feedback
• Proven ability to conduct independent research and publish in peer-reviewed journals
• Strong collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills

What We Offer

• Newly constructed, state-of-the-art labs and growth facilities
• A collaborative, purpose-driven research environment tackling global challenges
• Opportunities for professional development, publication, IP creation, spin-out generation, and leadership growth