Research Associate in Plant-Fungal Ecology Specialist

4 weeks ago


London, Greater London, United Kingdom Imperial College London Full time

The Imperial College London is seeking a highly skilled Research Associate to join our team in the field of plant-fungal ecology. As a key member of our research group, you will be responsible for designing and conducting field experiments to explore the interactions between fungi and bacteria in the wheat rhizosphere.

Our team is working on a project to develop a lab-to-field pipeline for microbiome optimization in arable soils, focusing on the suppression of the take-all fungus, Gaeumannomyces tritici, in the wheat rhizosphere. We aim to advance our fundamental understanding of microbial community dynamics in complex environments and develop practical methods to deliver disease-suppressive inoculum and monitor its establishment.

You will be part of a multi-disciplinary collaboration among the , , and labs, working closely with a team of four PDRAs, two research technicians, and many post-graduate students. Your primary task will be to design and carry out a field experiment to explore how interactions among fungi and bacteria in the wheat rhizosphere promote (or suppress) wheat growth and resistance to G. tritici.

As a Research Associate, you will be expected to communicate the findings of your research through conference presentations and scientific publications. You will also have the opportunity to connect directly with farmers and other local stakeholders who are collaborating with our research group.

Essential criteria:

  • Hold, or near completion of, a PhD in environmental microbiology, plant pathology, soil science or related field or a closely related discipline
  • Excellent scientific communication skills, as evidenced by presentations at scientific conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals
  • Evidence of effective collaborative work in a team environment
  • Experience with the basics of experimental design and statistical analysis (the latter in the R programming environment)
  • Demonstrated research experience in at least two of the following areas: Agronomy, Plant-fungal interactions, Plant pathology, Plant physiology, Soil biogeochemistry, Soil microbial ecology
  • The capacity to conduct fieldwork under adverse conditions (hot, rainy, buggy, – note that all fieldwork for this experiment will take place in the UK)
  • Experience with the management/organisation of large datasets
  • A valid driver's licence (for traveling to/from field sites)

What we offer:

  • The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity
  • Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial's sector-leading as well as opportunities for promotion and progression
  • Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes)


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