Research Assistant reference: IB-2025-07

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of the world’s leading public health universities. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant to work on the enteric pathogen Campylobacter jejuni; the leading bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis globally. This post aims to apply molecular and phenotypic methodologies to characterise the C. jejuni Type VI Secretion System (T6SS), a harpoon-like machine allows bacteria to fire damaging toxins, known as “effectors”, into other bacteria and in human cells, allowing bacteria to cause disease. In several notorious enteric pathogens, the T6SS is an important virulence determinant that supports the survival and domination of host intestinal niches. The T6SS can also subvert host cell functions and promote immune evasion thus supporting bacterial pathogenesis. We will characterise the antibacterial and anti-host activities of the T6SS and selected effectors using in vitro and in vivo models, deletion mutants and complemented strains. Using a chicken infection model, we will determine the fitness advantage conferred by the T6SS, during intra-species co-infection of C. jejuni. We will further our study by characterising the biochemical and structural features of the C. jejuni T6SS and effectors. 

The post will be based at LSHTM with Dr Ozan Gundogdu and his team. 

Candidates should have a postgraduate degree in a relevant biological science field. Experience in molecular epidemiological studies, including managing large datasets, is highly desirable. Relevant experience in host-pathogen interaction research, including in vitro tissue culture methods. Experience in molecular microbiology is essential, with proficiency in RNA isolation from bacterial, eukaryotic, and virus-infected cells, cDNA preparation, and PCR methods such as Real-time PCR and Digital PCR. Experience with Oxford Nanopore sequencing (MK1C) would be highly desirable. The applicant should also have experience with immunoassays, particularly Sandwich ELISA. The applicant should have expertise in a range of biochemical characterisation techniques, including bacterial isolation, Gram staining, and phenotypic assays. Further particulars are included in the job description.

The post is part-time, 0.5 FTE and fixed term until 29 February 2028. The post is funded by the BBSRC and is available from September 2025.

The salary will be on the LSHTM salary scale, Grade 5 in the range £39,432 - £45,097 per annum pro rata (inclusive of London Weighting). The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of service.  Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year, pro rata for part time staff. In addition to this there are discretionary “Wellbeing Days”. Membership of the Pension Scheme is available. The post is based in London at LSHTM.

Applications should be made on-line via our jobs website. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until 10pm of the closing date. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to jobs@lshtm.ac.uk. Please quote reference ITD-DIB-2025-07.

The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part of the selection process and thus, a failure to provide this information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to any of the criteria such as "Please see attached CV" will not be considered acceptable. 

Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on the interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.

Closing Date: 06 Jul 2025

Department: Academic

Salary: £39,182 to £44,847 per annum pro rata inclusive