Food, Microbiome & Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Scientist position in the Hildebrand group at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Norwich, UK. Background: Microbial fermentation of plant-based foods is increasingly used to recreate the taste, texture, and nutritional qualities of meat, while improving environmental sustainability. Optimizing the production of plant-based foods and ensuring consumer acceptance remain important challenges, further complicated by new and diverse fermentation approaches. The role: In the FlavourFerm consortium, partners are developing novel fermented plant-based foods. This research position will investigate how these foods influence the human gut microbiome and offer potential benefits to host health. Taste and texture of these foods will be predicted from microbial fermentation consortia. Specifically, microbes will be identified that affect fermentation outcomes. Building on previous work from the host group, we will develop machine learning tools to model microbial communities and their impact. In the longer term, this research will support the development of human-centric fermented foods that are safe, appealing, and environmentally sustainable. The environment: The successful applicant will work within the Hildebrand and Traka groups, integrated in the H2020 international FlavourFerm consortium. Prof Hildebrand studies the diversity, interactions, and evolution of microbial communities using high resolution metagenomics and custom software tools. The group is jointly based at QIB and the Earlham Institute developing widely used bioinformatic tools. Dr Traka leads the UK national resource Food & Nutrition National Bioscience Research Infrastructure, focused on automated food categorization using AI. FlavourFerm combines microbiologists, machine learning and food scientists, to develop the next generation of healthy and sustainable nutrition. The project requires close collaborations across Europe; attendance and participation in workshops and consortium meetings is required. The ideal candidate: holds a PhD (or equivalent) in biology, bioinformatics, computer science or a related discipline, being experienced in bioinformatics, (meta)genomic data, and microbiology. Knowledge in AI, machine learning, microbial pathogens, microbiology of fermentation, comparative genomics and analysing microbial communities will be of benefit. Specialized skills will be taught and developed through mentorship and collaborations. Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £43,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full time post until 30 April 2028. Closing date for applications will be 17 May 2026. Interviews are planned for week commencing 1st June 2026. We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute supports equality of opportunity within the workplace and expects all employees to share and display these values. The Institute is an Equality Confident employer.
Apr 27, 2026
Full time
Food, Microbiome & Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Scientist position in the Hildebrand group at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Norwich, UK. Background: Microbial fermentation of plant-based foods is increasingly used to recreate the taste, texture, and nutritional qualities of meat, while improving environmental sustainability. Optimizing the production of plant-based foods and ensuring consumer acceptance remain important challenges, further complicated by new and diverse fermentation approaches. The role: In the FlavourFerm consortium, partners are developing novel fermented plant-based foods. This research position will investigate how these foods influence the human gut microbiome and offer potential benefits to host health. Taste and texture of these foods will be predicted from microbial fermentation consortia. Specifically, microbes will be identified that affect fermentation outcomes. Building on previous work from the host group, we will develop machine learning tools to model microbial communities and their impact. In the longer term, this research will support the development of human-centric fermented foods that are safe, appealing, and environmentally sustainable. The environment: The successful applicant will work within the Hildebrand and Traka groups, integrated in the H2020 international FlavourFerm consortium. Prof Hildebrand studies the diversity, interactions, and evolution of microbial communities using high resolution metagenomics and custom software tools. The group is jointly based at QIB and the Earlham Institute developing widely used bioinformatic tools. Dr Traka leads the UK national resource Food & Nutrition National Bioscience Research Infrastructure, focused on automated food categorization using AI. FlavourFerm combines microbiologists, machine learning and food scientists, to develop the next generation of healthy and sustainable nutrition. The project requires close collaborations across Europe; attendance and participation in workshops and consortium meetings is required. The ideal candidate: holds a PhD (or equivalent) in biology, bioinformatics, computer science or a related discipline, being experienced in bioinformatics, (meta)genomic data, and microbiology. Knowledge in AI, machine learning, microbial pathogens, microbiology of fermentation, comparative genomics and analysing microbial communities will be of benefit. Specialized skills will be taught and developed through mentorship and collaborations. Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £43,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full time post until 30 April 2028. Closing date for applications will be 17 May 2026. Interviews are planned for week commencing 1st June 2026. We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute supports equality of opportunity within the workplace and expects all employees to share and display these values. The Institute is an Equality Confident employer.
Food, Microbiome & Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience Applications are invited for a Research Scientist (Metaproteomics) to join the Laboratory of Dr Kai Cheng in the Food, Microbiome and Health programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK. Since joining the Quadram Institute in 2025 as a Group Leader, Dr Cheng has been leading the AI & Metaproteomics for Human Gut Health group. The group's mission is to advance microbiome research by developing computational methods, large-scale data resources, and AI assisted frameworks for understanding microbial function. The research aims to enable predictive and data driven insights into microbiome systems and their role in human health. We are seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist with a strong interest in metaproteomics and microbiome research. The position focuses on the development and application of computational and analytical methods for metaproteomics, including peptide and protein identification, taxonomic and functional profiling, and integration with other omics data. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team, applying computational approaches to large scale microbiome datasets and contributing to research aimed at understanding microbial community function in health and disease. This is primarily a computational (dry lab) role, focused on analysing and interpreting metaproteomics data and developing analytical workflows. It involves close collaboration with experimental researchers and requires a solid understanding of proteomics workflows, but does not involve routine laboratory work. The role will also involve the use and development of AI assisted approaches for scientific research, including data driven modelling and the integration of modern AI tools into computational workflows. You will have access to state of the art infrastructure and collaborate with leading researchers in microbiome science and proteomics. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting edge research while developing expertise in a rapidly growing field. The ideal candidate PhD in Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related discipline. Strong interest in proteomics/metaproteomics and microbiome research. Experience in analysing proteomics or metaproteomics data. Ability to interpret computational results in a meaningful biological context. Proficiency in programming/scripting (e.g. Python, Linux). Strong domain knowledge and scientific understanding in metaproteomics. Motivation and readiness to develop expertise in metaproteomics if direct experience is lacking. Experience in multi omics integration, machine learning, or microbiome data analysis is advantageous. Additional information Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £45,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full time post for a contract of 24 months. The closing date for applications will be 6 May 2026. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence are at the heart of all we do, and we expect all employees to share and display these values. We have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work. As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. ) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Apr 27, 2026
Full time
Food, Microbiome & Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience Applications are invited for a Research Scientist (Metaproteomics) to join the Laboratory of Dr Kai Cheng in the Food, Microbiome and Health programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK. Since joining the Quadram Institute in 2025 as a Group Leader, Dr Cheng has been leading the AI & Metaproteomics for Human Gut Health group. The group's mission is to advance microbiome research by developing computational methods, large-scale data resources, and AI assisted frameworks for understanding microbial function. The research aims to enable predictive and data driven insights into microbiome systems and their role in human health. We are seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist with a strong interest in metaproteomics and microbiome research. The position focuses on the development and application of computational and analytical methods for metaproteomics, including peptide and protein identification, taxonomic and functional profiling, and integration with other omics data. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team, applying computational approaches to large scale microbiome datasets and contributing to research aimed at understanding microbial community function in health and disease. This is primarily a computational (dry lab) role, focused on analysing and interpreting metaproteomics data and developing analytical workflows. It involves close collaboration with experimental researchers and requires a solid understanding of proteomics workflows, but does not involve routine laboratory work. The role will also involve the use and development of AI assisted approaches for scientific research, including data driven modelling and the integration of modern AI tools into computational workflows. You will have access to state of the art infrastructure and collaborate with leading researchers in microbiome science and proteomics. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting edge research while developing expertise in a rapidly growing field. The ideal candidate PhD in Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related discipline. Strong interest in proteomics/metaproteomics and microbiome research. Experience in analysing proteomics or metaproteomics data. Ability to interpret computational results in a meaningful biological context. Proficiency in programming/scripting (e.g. Python, Linux). Strong domain knowledge and scientific understanding in metaproteomics. Motivation and readiness to develop expertise in metaproteomics if direct experience is lacking. Experience in multi omics integration, machine learning, or microbiome data analysis is advantageous. Additional information Salary on appointment will be within the range £37,500 to £45,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full time post for a contract of 24 months. The closing date for applications will be 6 May 2026. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence are at the heart of all we do, and we expect all employees to share and display these values. We have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work. As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No. ) and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
A leading bioscience research institute in the UK is seeking a Postdoctoral Scientist to join the FlavourFerm consortium. The successful candidate will research the influence of fermented plant-based foods on the gut microbiome and develop machine learning tools for modeling microbial communities. A PhD in a relevant field and experience in bioinformatics and microbiology are essential. The position is full-time, with a salary range of £37,500 to £43,350 per annum and is valid until April 30, 2028. Closing date for applications is May 17, 2026.
Apr 26, 2026
Full time
A leading bioscience research institute in the UK is seeking a Postdoctoral Scientist to join the FlavourFerm consortium. The successful candidate will research the influence of fermented plant-based foods on the gut microbiome and develop machine learning tools for modeling microbial communities. A PhD in a relevant field and experience in bioinformatics and microbiology are essential. The position is full-time, with a salary range of £37,500 to £43,350 per annum and is valid until April 30, 2028. Closing date for applications is May 17, 2026.