Research Associate

Position Details

School of Biosciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,662 to £36,320 with potential progression once in post to £40,704

Grade: 6

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 12 months

Closing date: 6th December 2026

Background

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Research Associate to join our research team at the University of Birmingham to work on an exciting project funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). The project aims to develop innovative technologies for delivering molecular cargos into mitochondria, with the long-term goal of enabling mitochondrial genome engineering and advancing therapeutic approaches for mitochondrial diseases.

The successful candidate will have a strong interest in mitochondrial biology and a passion for developing new experimental approaches. They will contribute to the design, optimisation and validation of strategies for delivering molecular cargo into mitochondria, using a combination of mammalian cell culture, molecular biology, mitochondrial functional assays and advanced imaging techniques.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment, working alongside researchers with expertise in mitochondrial genetics, cell biology in the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham. This position is initially offered for a fixed term of 12 months.

Role Summary

• Work on a research project aimed at developing technologies for delivering molecular cargos into mitochondria.
• Apply expertise in mitochondrial biology, mammalian cell culture, molecular biology and imaging to develop, optimise and evaluate mitochondrial delivery strategies.
• Design and conduct experiments, analyse and interpret research data, and contribute to the development of new methodologies.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams and contribute to project reports, scientific publications and research presentation.

Main Duties

• Conduct research within an ARIA-funded project focused on developing and optimising technologies for delivering molecular cargos into mitochondria.
• Establish and maintain mammalian cell cultures, including genetically modified cell lines, for experimental studies.
• Design and perform experiments to evaluate mitochondrial cargo delivery efficiency, localisation and functional outcomes.
• Perform mitochondrial functional assays, including measurements of mitochondrial membrane potential, respiration and ATP production.
• Apply molecular biology techniques, including molecular cloning and CRISPR–Cas9-mediated genome editing, to develop and validate experimental systems.
• Use fluorescence microscopy and advanced imaging techniques to investigate mitochondrial morphology, dynamics and sub compartment localisation of delivered cargo.
• Analyse and interpret experimental data, maintain accurate research records and contribute to the development and optimisation of experimental protocols.
• Collaborate with project partners and other members of the research team, contributing to scientific discussions, progress reports, presentations and publications.
• Provide guidance as required to support staff and any students who may be assisting with research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research
• Fosters a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
• Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience:

• An Undergraduate degree in biological sciences, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in mammalian cell culture and associated experimental techniques.
• Previous experience in mitochondrial research and mitochondrial functional assays, such as measurements of mitochondrial membrane potential, respiration, ATP production or other indicators of mitochondrial activity.
• Experience in fluorescence microscopy and imaging-based analysis of mitochondrial morphology, organisation or sub-compartment localisation.
• Strong experimental, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Practical experience of applying the relevant skills and techniques
• Ability to analyse information and communicate effectively
• Ability to access and organise resources successfully
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills and experience document.

Desirable skills and experience:

• A Masters degree in the relevant area is favoured, but not required
• Experience in in vitro reconstitution of biological or biochemical systems.
• Experience in membrane-based delivery systems, particularly approaches for delivering molecular cargo into mitochondria.
• Knowledge of mitochondrial membrane dynamics, particularly mitochondrial fusion and fission.
• Experience in mitochondrial protein targeting, import pathways or subcellular delivery technologies.
• Experience in advanced microscopy or quantitative image analysis.

Informal enquiries to Hansong Ma, email: h.ma.6@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.