Postdoctoral Research Associate in Proteomics (Microbial Competition and Type VI Secretion)

Job reference: BMH-032762
Salary: £38,448- £46,970 per annum, depending on relevant experience
Faculty/Organisational Unit: Biology, Medicine Health
Location: Oxford Road
Employment type: Fixed Term
Division/Team: Division of Molecular and Cellular Function
Hours Per Week: Full time (1 FTE)
Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 17/11/2026
Contract Duration: Fixed term for 36 months (01/01/2027-31/12/2029)
School/Directorate: School of Biological Sciences

We are seeking a motivated and collaborative individual to join our team as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in mass spectrometry-based proteomics. You will lead the proteomics work of a collaborative Wellcome Discovery Award on competitive interactions between microorganisms, working with colleagues at the Universities of Dundee, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Chicago. You will use data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics to characterise T6SS-secreted proteins and define their modes of action.

You will be based in the Laboratory for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry under the supervision of Prof Matthias Trost, with hands-on access to modern instrumentation including the timsTOF HT and timsTOF Ultra AIP.

You will be responsible for:

• design and run DIA proteomics experiments on complex microbial samples within the collaborative consortium;
• run and maintain one of the mass spectrometry and LC systems;
• apply data analysis pipelines in R and other bioinformatic analyses;
• plan your own experiments with the Principal Investigator and the wider award team, and publish your findings as lead or co-author.

We welcome candidates who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and approaches to their work.

About You

We encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. You should demonstrate:

Essential Criteria:

• You will have a PhD (or be about to obtain one) and proven hands-on experience running and maintaining mass spectrometry systems, experience in proteomics, and good data analysis skills in R.
• You will collaborate closely with colleagues and also drive your own research questions.

Desirable Criteria:

• Microbiology experience, particularly in bacterial or fungal biology, is an advantage but not essential.

We value transferable skills and real-world experience as much as formal qualifications.

Our benefits include:

• Generous employer contribution pension
• 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays, along with Christmas closure
• Ride to work and EV car scheme available

For more information, please see here. You can also find information on our Flexible and Hybrid working here.

We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech here.

Enquiries about the role, shortlisting and interviews

Name: Prof Matthias Trost
Email Address: matthias.trost@manchester.ac.uk 

General enquiries and administrative support

recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk 

Technical and job portal support
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Applications close at midnight on the closing date.