Postdoctoral Research Associate Full-time

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, Professor Philip Poole, the post holder will undertake research within a project addressing the looming nitrogen (N) crisis. With the human population estimated to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, the looming nitrogen (N) crisis, stemming from the intensive use of fertilisers in agriculture, requires urgent global action. Legumes, which in association with rhizobia can fix up to 200 kg of nitrogen per hectare, offer a sustainable means of improving nitrogen efficiency in agriculture.

The post holder will engineer nif gene clusters for expression in plant-colonising bacteria and integrate them into the chromosomes of appropriate bacterial chassis. Control systems will be designed to restrict expression to target plants and ensure optimal expression of the nitrogenase complex.

The University of Oxford is committed to equal opportunity, and to being a place where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed. We recognise how the diversity of our community enriches our ability to deliver on our academic mission. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or members of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

This post is full time and available from 12 October 2026 on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2028. The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 21 August 2026. Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via our e-recruitment system, and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application.