Research Associates in Photo-Biocatalysis

The University of Manchester - Science and Engineering - Manchester Institute of Biotechnology - Department of Chemistry - School of Natural Sciences

Location: Manchester
Salary: £37,694 to £46,049 per annum depending on experience
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 11th June 2026
Closes: 25th June 2026
Job Ref: SAE-031665

We are seeking motivated and collaborative individuals to join our team as Research Associates in Photo‑Biocatalysis. These roles offer an exciting opportunity to contribute to a major interdisciplinary research programme within the Department of Chemistry and the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB). You will work in a dynamic and inclusive research environment as part of the £4M BBSRC‑funded Strategic Longer and Larger (sLoLa) programme, Generalised Photocatalysis by Enzymes (GENPENZ).

Two full‑time, fixed‑term postdoctoral positions are available for 12 months. The posts are based in Manchester and form part of a multi‑centre collaboration with the Universities of Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh.

You will be responsible for:

Driving the mechanistic and structural analysis of engineered photo‑biocatalysts
Producing, purifying and characterising enzyme variants and designed proteins
Designing and evaluating protein variants to understand photocatalytic function
Developing and applying advanced biophysical platforms, including light‑activated and high‑throughput mass spectrometry
Disseminating research through high‑quality publications, reports and conference presentations

The Manchester‑based post holders will work closely with partner postdoctoral researchers focusing on data‑driven modelling (Edinburgh) and de novo protein scaffold design (Bristol), contributing to an integrated Design‑Build‑Evaluate‑Learn discovery platform.

About you

Essential criteria:

A PhD (or close to completion) in analytical sciences, protein science, biophysics, enzymology, structural biology, protein engineering or protein design
Experience in protein expression, purification and biochemical characterisation
Strong analytical and data‑analysis skills, with confidence handling complex datasets
Ability to plan, optimise and progress research independently while working collaboratively
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable criteria:

Experience using mass spectrometry or time‑resolved spectroscopy for protein analysis
Experience with structural or biophysical characterisation of protein systems
Experience contributing to interdisciplinary or collaborative research programmes