Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Transplant Immunology

Salary

Lecturer: £48,337 to £57,666 per annum

Senior Lecturer: £59,390 to £68,817 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 17 November 2026

The Role

We are looking for an ambitious non-clinical immunologist with an interest in solid organ transplantation to join the internationally recognised transplant research group at Newcastle University. We see this as a key role to provide scientific insights into the transplant injury and to develop new therapies that ultimately lead to improved organ utilisation and patient outcomes. The successful candidate will develop their own research programme whilst also collaborating on new and existing projects with the 9 existing senior investigators in the group. The post is initially for up to 5 years (based on the level of appointment) with the potential for permanent core funding if the applicant is successful in generating a research portfolio including external funding and publications in leading journals. Additional support will be available for the successful applicant on taking up the post (details on application).

The transplant group is part of the Immunology and Regenerative Medicine Themes in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute based in the William Leech Building of the Faculty of Medical Sciences. The group also includes post-doctoral scientists, clinical fellows, PhD students and technical staff and has funding from NIHR, MRC, Kidney Research UK, and British Heart Foundation. We work closely with Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which hosts the Institute of Transplantation, and the recently funded Assessment and Recovery Centre (ARC). Research infrastructure, including the transplant biobank, within the Institute provides opportunities for observational and intervention clinical studies.

Although the focus of the post will be on the immunology of kidney transplantation, the successful applicant will be encouraged to work across all transplant organs particularly when cross-cutting scientific techniques can be applied to multiple organs and common transplant-related research questions. The successful applicant will engage with the NIHR-funded NHS Blood and Transplant Research Unit, which Newcastle hosts jointly with Cambridge University. We expect and will support the applicant to develop internal and external collaborations (including with industry and academic partners)

In accordance with Newcastle University’s aim to deliver high quality teaching the post-holder will play an active role in undergraduate and postgraduate education. This will include the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, and supervision of PhD students. The level of educational activity is expected to be 0.2 WTE.

Please direct any further enquiries to Professor Neil Sheerin (neil.sheerin@newcastle.ac.uk) or Professor Simi Ali (simi.ali@newcastle.ac.uk).

To apply, please attach your CV and a cover letter that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria for the position, as outlined in the Person Specification of the Job Description. Any requested additional documents required as part of your application, should be included within the same file as your cover letter. The total file size must not exceed 10MB.

Key Accountabilities

Research and Innovation

Lecturer

• Plan, organise and carry out a programme of cutting edge research in transplant immunology and associated research areas that results in the generation of new knowledge, insight and innovation
• Lead the development and submission of research proposals to external funding bodies to generate substantial funding to allow research activity
• Contribute to collaborative funding proposals from the broader transplant and immunology research groups
• Contribute to the publication of high quality research work in internationally recognised academic journals
• Disseminate research findings through presentations at national and international conferences
• Attract and supervise PhD students to ensure their successful completion
• Contribute to the wider internal and external transplant immunology research community through research leadership roles
• Contribute to internal and external interdisciplinary collaborations to maximise the benefits for the School/Institute, Faculty and University
• Participate in the commercialisation of intellectual property and know-how arising from research and academic practice

In addition for a Senior Lecturer

• Consistently publish high quality research work in internationally recognised academic journals
• Initiate and contribute to internal and external interdisciplinary collaborations to maximise the benefits for the School/Institute, Faculty and University
• Lead in the commercialisation of intellectual property and know-how arising from research and academic practice

Teaching and Learning

• Contribute to the design and delivery of high quality teaching and learning material, resources and activities to students in line with the Institute and Faculty teaching objectives
• Set, mark and assess coursework and examinations, providing effective feedback to students
• Supervise undergraduate and taught postgraduate students’ research projects
• Evaluate own practice and undertake continuing professional development in teaching

Engagement

• Participate in organised programmes of outreach, patient and public engagement particularly those activities relevant to transplantation
• Promote the University’s values and support widening access to our programmes and facilities to people who have historically had little involvement in universities
• Contribute to the wider work of the School/Institute, Faculty and University through input to project teams, working groups and committees

Administration and Management

• Undertake administrative tasks to support own area of research and collaboration with internal and external transplant and immunology research groups
• To provide line-management of more junior colleagues
• Contribute to the wider work of the School/Institute, Faculty and University through input to project teams, working groups and committees

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Lecturer

• High level of understanding of medical research with specific expertise in immunology research
• Evidence of publication in peered reviewed journals
• Evidence of a significant contribution to the preparation and submission of research proposals
• Experience of designing and supervising laboratory and allied research projects for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including PhD supervision
• Experience of working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to successfully develop and deliver on research projects
• Experience of delivering research-led teaching

In addition for Senior Lecturer

• A strong and substantial (relative to career length) track record of publication in leading peer reviewed journals
• Experience in preparing, submitting and leading research proposals and securing research funding
• Evidence of providing an outstanding educational experience, rooted in strong disciplinary knowledge that engages, challenges, and inspires our students

Attributes and Behaviour

• Demonstrates academic integrity and professionalism consistent with University values
• Strong vision for developing transplant and immunology research within the Institute and University
• Collaborative and collegiate, with the ability to build effective relationships and maintain a positive research culture
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to take initiative, drive activity and deliver on commitments/deadlines
• Confident and clear communicator
• Empathetic to the needs of staff and of a diverse student body
• Willingness and ability to engage in leadership roles within the Institute

Qualifications

• A PhD and/or equivalent research experience in a discipline relevant to transplant immunology

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 29867