Research Associate in Novel Methodologies for Bioinorganic EPR/ESR Spectroscopy (Imperial College London Department of Chemistry)

Job summary Electron paramagnetic/spin resonance (EPR/ESR) is a powerful spectroscopic tool used across diverse areas in science. However, despite these successful and wide-ranging uses, the sensitivity of EPR still provides a critical bottleneck for many important applications. Investigating biological systems in their native or in-vivo like environment demands improvements in spin sensitivity to achieve meaningful results within a practical duration of... Job listing information Reference NAT01171 Date posted 1 June 2022 Closing date 30 June 2022 Key information about the role Location White City Campus (map) Position type Full time, fixed term Salary £41,593 – £49,210 plus benefits Department Department of Chemistry Category Researcher / Non Clinical Researcher Job description Job summary Electron paramagnetic/spin resonance (EPR/ESR) is a powerful spectroscopic tool used across diverse areas in science. However, despite these successful and wide-ranging uses, the sensitivity of EPR still provides a critical bottleneck for many important applications. Investigating biological systems in their native or in-vivo like environment demands improvements in spin sensitivity to achieve meaningful results within a practical duration of signal averaging. For example, iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are found in many fundamentally important enzymes, including those involved in respiration and photosynthesis, and EPR studies can provide critical information on the enzyme mechanisms. We are looking to appoint a Research Associate to carry out mechanistic investigations of FeS enzymes by developing novel EPR methodologies via application-specific microwave resonators. You will join the group of Dr Maxie Roessler in the Department of Chemistry as part of the EPSRC funded project entitled “Spins and superconducting circuits for advanced spectroscopy (SpinSUPER)” and be part of the Centre of Pulse EPR Spectroscopy (PEPR). You will work in collaboration with Prof. John Morton’s team at University College London to establish a positive feedback loop between EPR method development and applications. Duties and responsibilities You will be responsible for designing and preparing protein samples, and for designing, measuring and interpreting continuous-wave and pulse EPR experiments on custom instrumentation developed in collaboration with other members of the team. You will be expected to plan and carry out research, to write up results for publication and oral presentations, to liaise with collaborators, and to assist in the support of research students. Essential requirements The following are essential requirements for the role: Hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Chemistry or Biochemistry or a closely related discipline, where EITHER you gained substantial experience in isolating and working with membrane proteins OR where EPR spectroscopy played a major role (or both) Experience with membrane metalloproteins AND/OR pulse EPR spectroscopy. If you have no experience in pulse EPR spectroscopy, training will be provided but a background in and aptitude for quantitative physical techniques will be essential. If you have no experience with membrane proteins, training will be provided but some background and interest in preparing/working with biological samples is expected Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people, along with team working skills Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication Ability to plan and conduct research independently The following are desirable requirements for the role: Experience with Electrochemistry Experience redox-active proteins Further information This is a full time, fixed role for 2 years with the possibility of extension. You will be based at the White City Campus. Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £36,694 - £39,888 per annum For additional information please contact Dr Maxie Roessler, m.roessler@imperial.ac.uk (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/roessler-lab/). Should you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Ms Lisa Benbow, Administrator, l.benbow@imperial.ac.uk The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA),* which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/ The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes which are ultimately aimed towards finding new treatments and making scientific and medical advances, and where there are no satisfactory or reasonably practical alternatives to their use. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. Find out more about animal research at Imperial. Documents Job description .pdf If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Physicaloxy

Job summary

Job listing information

Reference NAT01171
Date posted 1 June 2022
Closing date 30 June 2022

Key information about the role

Location White City Campus (map)
Position type Full time, fixed term
Salary £41,593 – £49,210 plus benefits
Department Department of Chemistry
Category Researcher / Non Clinical Researcher

Job description

Job summary

Electron paramagnetic/spin resonance (EPR/ESR) is a powerful spectroscopic tool used across diverse areas in science. However, despite these successful and wide-ranging uses, the sensitivity of EPR still provides a critical bottleneck for many important applications. Investigating biological systems in their native or in-vivo like environment demands improvements in spin sensitivity to achieve meaningful results within a practical duration of signal averaging. For example, iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are found in many fundamentally important enzymes, including those involved in respiration and photosynthesis, and EPR studies can provide critical information on the enzyme mechanisms.

We are looking to appoint a Research Associate to carry out mechanistic investigations of FeS enzymes by developing novel EPR methodologies via application-specific microwave resonators. You will join the group of Dr Maxie Roessler in the Department of Chemistry as part of the EPSRC funded project entitled “Spins and superconducting circuits for advanced spectroscopy (SpinSUPER)” and be part of the Centre of Pulse EPR Spectroscopy (PEPR). You will work in collaboration with Prof. John Morton’s team at University College London to establish a positive feedback loop between EPR method development and applications.

Duties and responsibilities

You will be responsible for designing and preparing protein samples, and for designing, measuring and interpreting continuous-wave and pulse EPR experiments on custom instrumentation developed in collaboration with other members of the team. You will be expected to plan and carry out research, to write up results for publication and oral presentations, to liaise with collaborators, and to assist in the support of research students.

Essential requirements

The following are essential requirements for the role:

Hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Chemistry or Biochemistry or a closely related discipline, where EITHER you gained substantial experience in isolating and working with membrane proteins OR where EPR spectroscopy played a major role (or both)
Experience with membrane metalloproteins AND/OR pulse EPR spectroscopy. If you have no experience in pulse EPR spectroscopy, training will be provided but a background in and aptitude for quantitative physical techniques will be essential. If you have no experience with membrane proteins, training will be provided but some background and interest in preparing/working with biological samples is expected
Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people, along with team working skills
Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication
Ability to plan and conduct research independently

The following are desirable requirements for the role:

Experience with Electrochemistry
Experience redox-active proteins

Further information

This is a full time, fixed role for 2 years with the possibility of extension. You will be based at the White City Campus.

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £36,694 - £39,888 per annum

For additional information please contact Dr Maxie Roessler, m.roessler@imperial.ac.uk (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/roessler-lab/).

Should you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Ms Lisa Benbow, Administrator, l.benbow@imperial.ac.uk

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes which are ultimately aimed towards finding new treatments and making scientific and medical advances, and where there are no satisfactory or reasonably practical alternatives to their use. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. Find out more about animal research at Imperial.