Senior / Research Associate in Plant Biochemistry

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral researcher in Plant Biochemistry within the Lancaster Photosynthesis team under the supervision of Dr Doug Orr. This new position will join the Plant Biology grouping within the Lancaster Environment Centre, which consists of roughly 35 people including PIs, postdoctoral researchers, research technicians and postgraduate students.

This is part of a BBSRC-funded project that focuses on improving our understanding of Rubisco activity, and pursuing a novel target for increasing Rubisco activity in plants and cyanobacteria. This project is in collaboration with Prof. Martin Cann at Durham University. At Lancaster we will focus on understanding Rubisco activity of recombinant proteins in vitro, and testing these in planta to understand the impact of mutations on leaf level photosynthesis.

The ideal candidate will have a genuine interest and the curiosity to pursue new research avenues in Rubisco. With training and support, you will be responsible for leading in vitro and in vivo research to advance the understanding of Rubisco activity. You will lead the molecular and biochemical study of novel Rubisco variants to build fundamental understanding, and lead the physiological characterisation of plants expressing these proteins. You will design and carry out experimental and computational work, analyse data, present results in oral and written form and lead the preparation of scientific manuscripts.

You will join the collaborative and supportive Lancaster Photosynthesis team and have access to state-of-the-art resources, including a well-equipped lab for plant molecular biology and biochemistry work using ionising radiation, high-specification plant growth chambers, and the Lancaster High End Computing (HEC) Cluster. Professional development opportunities and training courses to broaden your expertise and skills will be encouraged and are covered by the project.

There is flexibility to appoint either a junior (grade 6) or senior (grade 7) postdoc to this role, with responsibilities and salary set accordingly, and dependent on the successful candidate's current expertise and experience level.

This position is available for immediate start, with candidates ideally available to start by early 2027, however this is negotiable. The role is on an indefinite contract contingent on external funding, with an initial end date of 30/08/2028 and the possibility of extension.

LEC offers a collegial and stimulating environment for career development, based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. The university is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies, the Athena SWAN Charter, and is active around sustainability, wellbeing and social justice agendas. Individuals from all diversity groups are encouraged to apply.