Research Associate

Job title:

Research Associate

Company:

University of Edinburgh

Job description

Job Description:UOE07 – £39,347 – £46,974School of InformaticsContract Type – Fixed term – 24 MonthsFull Time – 35 Hours Per WeekThe Opportunity:We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join the at the University of Edinburgh. The group develops computational methods for the design of molecular systems for biotechnology and future therapy.The post is part of the between the University of Bristol, University of Newcastle and University of Edinburgh. Our consortium aims to engineer cells designed to tackle environmental challenges and support their future deployment into real-world ecosystems. We want to find ways to make a real positive impact on the environment by combing our growing capabilities in engineering biology and AI with our understanding of ecology and natural environments. To this end, we will employ a cutting-edge combination of molecular and ecological datasets in collaboration with an array of industry partners.The post-holder will build predictive machine learning models to guide the cell engineering work of the consortium. We are looking for candidates with experience in applied machine learning, ideally to biological or molecular data, including, but not limited to, classic/deep learning, active learning, graph neural networks, or self-supervised learning. While prior experience with biological data is not essential, we will be looking for candidates who are willing to engage with the biological design task and collaborate closely with the postdocs in our wetlab partner labs. The post-holder will be expected to actively engage with the other four postdocs recruited for the project and we have a unique multi-institution rotation scheme to facilitate these interactions. Applicants with a biological background and proven hands-on experience with machine learning methods are particularly encouraged to apply. More details can be found in the project website.About the lab: We are a diverse, international, and multidisciplinary team working at the cutting-edge of machine learning applied to biological questions. Some of our recent breakthroughs include the , , , and . As a team, we gather expertise in many computational and mathematical methods, including nonlinear dynamics, machine learning, optimization, network theory and stochastic processes. Interested candidates are encouraged to check our to find areas of synergy or where you can bring complementary expertise to the lab.The is co-located at the School of Informatics and School of Biological Sciences. The School of Informatics is widely recognized as one of the birthplaces of AI and is home to some of the latest developments in the field. As a member of our lab, you will join the Edinburgh and its thriving community of researchers working on biological solutions to global challenges.Our team ethos is based on mutual learning, strong peer-to-peer support, and a drive to support the career growth of our members. We offer multiple opportunities for networking and skills development, for example through guidance and co-creation of student research projects, or engaging with multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the . Edinburgh is an exciting European capital, with excellent quality of life and a thriving science, arts, and cultural scene, as well as access to beautiful natural landscapes.The post is for 2 years; there is potential of extending the post for 3 additional years through a separate funding stream. We expect candidates to have a promising publication record, excellent mathematical and computational skills, a demonstrated willingness to learn new concepts from other disciplines, and an excellent ability to communicate their work effectively.Your skills and attributes for success:Essential:

• Ph.D. degree (or nearing completion) in a suitable field
• Promising publication record
• Experience in applied machine learning to real-world data
• Excellent communication skills in multidisciplinary environments

Desirable:

• Experience working with biological datasets

Click to view a copy of the full (opens new browser tab)Please include a brief statement of interests and CV to your application.For informal inquiries please email Diego Oyarzún ( )Feedback is only provided to interviewed candidates.

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• A competitive salary of £39,347 – £46,974pa
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our

(opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefitsChampioning equality, diversity and inclusionThe University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our (opens new browser tab)The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.Key dates to noteThe closing date for applications is 28 May 2024Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.About Us: As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.About the Team:Informatics is the study of how natural and artificial systems store, process and communicate information. Research in Informatics promises to take information technology to a new level, and to place information at the heart of 21st century science, technology and society. The School enjoys collaborations across many disciplines in the University, spanning all three College, and also participates as a strategic partner in the Alan Turing Institute and, with Heriot-Watt University, in the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics.The School provides a fertile environment for a wide range of studies focused on understanding computation in both artificial and natural systems. It attracts students around the world to study in our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and currently has approximately 1000 undergraduate students, 320 MSc students and 350 PhD students. Informatics is one of seven schools in the College of Science and Engineering, at the University of Edinburgh. It is recognised for the employability of its graduates (demand exceeds supply), its contributions to entrepreneurship, and the excellence of its research. Since the first Research Assessment Exercise in 1986, Informatics at Edinburgh has consistently been assessed to have more internationally excellent and world-class research than any other submission in Computer Science and Informatics. The latest REF 2014 results have again confirmed that ours is the largest concentration of internationally excellent research in the UK. This contributes to our ranking in the top 15 CS departments world-wide according to the latest Times Higher Education ranking.We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working and recognise and value diversity across all our staff and students. The School has an active programme offering support and professional development for all staff; providing mentoring, training, and networking opportunities.

Expected salary

£39347 – 46974 per year

Location

United Kingdom

Job date

Wed, 01 May 2024 23:15:31 GMT

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