Virology Postdoctoral Fellow

Job Title: Virology Postdoctoral Fellow

Details of the role: 4-year fixed term contract, full time. Working pattern: Monday - Friday.

Salary: From £43,210 dependent on skills and experience

Application closing date: 03/02/25

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe's largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We've removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

Over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Francis Crick Institute developed a range of COVID-19 research platforms, including a unique high throughput live virus assay platform to quantify neutralising antibody activity against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants in thousands of samples simultaneously. In collaboration with both clinical researchers and the Worldwide Influenza Centre (WIC) based at the Crick, we have used our microneutralisation platform to show at large scale how immunity to COVID-19 following vaccination and infection differs between healthy adults and clinically vulnerable patients (see references). The Francis Crick COVID Surveillance Unit (CSU) was created in 2022 to run and improve upon this high-throughput live-virus assay pipeline

We are adding pseudovirus testing in order to study the evolution of the virus in detail. The lentiviral system is up and running and you will help to set up the rVSV version of the assay for detailed comparative analysis of the assays. An important aspect of your role will be the calibration and harmonisation of pseudovirus to the wild-type live virus neutralisation assay currently running. This important work will feed into the UKRI funded PROVAC consortium, comprising researchers at the Crick (CSU, WIC, Legacy study), Cambridge University and Imperial College to determine the direction of SARS-CoV-2 evolution for 'evolutionarily smart' vaccine design. For more information click here .

What you will be doing

As a Virology Postdoctoral Fellow at the Crick, you will:

• Develop/lead on variant selection and data integration within the PROVAC consortium
• Adapt and/or develop new high throughput virological and immunological assays.
• Liaise with leading researchers around the world on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Spike and design experiments to test trajectory of evolution.
• Ensure the smooth running of high throughput neutralisation assays by conducting assays to the highest standards, liaising with all interested parties and team members ensuring clear communication.
• Manage workflows and ensure neutralisation data is generated in a timely manner. Must be adaptable and flexible in order to quickly adjust ongoing scheduled work to accommodate the unexpected.
• Generate pseudovirus for QC and neutralisation assay.
• Develop and enforce robust QC measures for data generation.
• Improve existing assays for throughput and data content

About you

You will bring

• A PhD in virology or immunology or high throughput screening
• Extensive direct experience in cell-based assays, tissue culture, and immunofluorescence-staining techniques
• Demonstrable experience of high containment (CL3+) work or previous experience in working with respiratory viruses
• Experience with high throughput techniques and associated machinery particularly automated microscopes and HCA
• Practical experience with a wide range of molecular and cell biology techniques

To see the complete job description click here

To see more about role/team click here .

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick's mission and shaping our culture!

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We're not afraid to do things differently.
• We are open. We're highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.
• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email:

To find out more about life at the Crick click here .

What will you receive?

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK

Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.

Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.

Health & Well-being:

• 24/7 GP consultation services.
• Occupational health services and mental health support programs.
• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.

Work-Life Balance:

• Back-up care for dependents.
• Childcare support allowance.
• Annual leave purchase options.

Perks:

• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts.
• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Development & Recognition: Comprehensive training, mentoring, and a pay structure with performance-linked progression.