LSTM has created a new role for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) / Senior Research Assistant (SRA) to contribute to cutting-edge research in vaccine development within the Department of Tropical Disease Biology. The postholder will be part of a team working at the forefront of virology, focusing on the bioengineering of novel virus-like particle (VLP) and infectious chimeric Rubella virus-based vaccine candidates for Zika virus and Nairobi Sheep Virus.
The postholder will work in biosafety level 2 (CL2) laboratories, with some aspects requiring training for containment level 3 (CL3) environments. They will take a hands-on approach to gene cloning, mammalian expression, protein purification, and live virus or pseudovirus assays. The postholder will be expected to work independently and collaboratively, supporting research dissemination and contributing to the wider research community.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & KNOWLEDGE

• SRA: Postgraduate Masters (MPhil/MSc/MRes) in a relevant field.
• PDRA: PhD (awarded or submitted) in virology, molecular biology, immunology, or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of health and safety regulations and experience working in CL2 laboratories.
• Hands-on experience in a research laboratory setting.
• Expertise in molecular biology techniques, including PCR, mutagenesis, and homologous recombination cloning.
• Experience with mammalian pseudovirus entry and inhibition assays.
• Proficiency in bioinformatics tools for sequence alignment and analysis.

INCLUSION IS CENTRAL TO OUR VALUES AT LSTM

We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, faith, social background, age, or disability.
LSTM selects candidates based on skills, qualifications, and experience. We welcome applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements or returning to employment after a career break.

TECHNICAL RESEARCH DUTIES

• Develop and design bioinformatics-informed synthetic chimeric glycoprotein constructs to generate VLPs, pseudoviruses, and/or infectious viral clones.
• Plan, conduct, and analyze experiments, ensuring high-quality data generation.
• Participate in the validation of experimental protocols and optimize research methodologies.
• Support the evaluation of immunogenicity in small animal models (no direct animal handling required).