Practical Class Technician (Part Time)
The Department of Genetics is seeking a proactive Practical Class Technician to join our friendly and welcoming professional services team on a part-time, permanent basis. This key position supports our undergraduate teaching activities and offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to a world-class teaching and research environment while benefiting from the University's many support and development opportunities.
The successful candidate will provide essential technical support for practical teaching, including preparing and setting up laboratory equipment and experiments for undergraduate classes. They will assist students during sessions, maintain cultures, prepare and analyse samples, and contribute to developing practical experiments. Responsibilities also include supporting the recruitment of supplementary demonstrators.
Another key aspect of the role is managing laboratory supplies and equipment. The Technician will monitor stock levels, order consumables, and purchase minor equipment within budget, ensuring resources are available for both research and teaching. This includes liaising with staff and suppliers, resolving issues, and maintaining records through the University's financial system (CUFS).
Health and safety are integral to the role. The Technician will conduct routine safety checks, arrange repairs, and carry out safety inductions in the absence of the Department Safety Officer. Additional responsibilities include overseeing biological waste disposal, including autoclave operation.
The ideal candidate will have laboratory support experience, preferably in biological sciences, with knowledge of lab procedures and health and safety regulations. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently are essential. Good communication skills are also required, as the role involves working closely with students, academic staff, and research groups.
The Department of Genetics is part of the School of Biological Sciences and hosts 22 research groups and over 100 staff. It is a vibrant and collaborative environment with strong links to leading research institutes such as the Gurdon Institute and the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
Staff benefits include competitive rates of pay with automatic service-related progression and annual cost of living increases; Generous annual leave provision; Family friendly policies including generous carer leave (maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, adoption leave); An auto-enrolment pension scheme with employer contribution; Exclusive employee discounts via our CamBens scheme, and access to free Wellbeing activities and resources.
The Department actively encourages and supports personal development and our staff have access to a wide range of courses and training provided by the University of Cambridge Learning and Development team.
We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for flexible working arrangements.
Research Associate (Fixed Term)
We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the research group of Dr. Antoine Hocher in the Department of Genetics, based in central Cambridge. Our lab explores molecular mimicry and chromatin evolution. We combine molecular biology, phylogenetics, proteomics and genetics.
This postdoctoral position focuses on studying and engineering proteins that mimic DNA. Molecular mimicry is a powerful evolutionary strategy observed across diverse organisms, from insects to vertebrates. While striking examples of phenotypic mimicry are well-documented, systematic approaches to identify and manipulate molecular mimicry remain largely unexplored.
The successful candidate will lead wet-lab projects aimed at:
- Developing high-throughput environmental DNA screens to uncover new cases of molecular mimicry.
- Engineering DNA-mimicking proteins using directed evolution platforms.
- Dissecting the mechanisms of action of newly identified DNA mimics.
By applying cutting-edge approaches, this work aims to systematically uncover DNA mimics and their targets, with potential applications in inhibiting DNA-binding proteins and advancing our understanding of molecular mimicry as a biological phenomenon.
This position provides a unique opportunity to develop expertise in diverse high-throughput techniques (proteomics, transcriptomics, directed evolution). The successful candidate will benefit from the lab's combined expertise in wet-lab molecular biology and computational biology.
Prior experience in microbiology, protein biology or experimental evolution is advantageous. Computational biology expertise is not required. A curious, persevering, and independent mindset is essential.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.