- Job Title
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Post Number
- 1004984
- Closing Date
- 30 Nov 2025
- Grade
- SC6
- Starting Salary
- Salary: £37,500 - £45,350
- Hours per week
- 37
- Project Title
- Regulation of plant cell size and its functional relevance
- Expected/Ideal Start Date
- 01 Mar 2026
- Months Duration
- 24
Job Description
Main Purpose of the Job
The post holder will carry out research described in the UKRI Frontiers-funded project "Regulation of plant cell size coupled to DNA content". The broad objective will be to understand the regulation and relevance of plant cell size, particularly in the shoot meristem and during stomatal development. Within this broad aim, the post holder will design, execute and interpret experiments to test initial hypotheses, then propose and test their own hypotheses, informed by results.
The Postdoctoral Researcher will organise their data in a way that can be efficiently shared within the group and externally after publication; communicate ideas and results effectively within the group and externally, for example through talks at conferences and playing an active role in writing manuscripts; train junior members of the team in specific techniques; participate in outreach activities, such as events in science festivals or interactions with the media.
Key Relationships
Internal: Line manager, group members and, as necessary, other researchers, research support staff and students across the Institute.
External: Collaborators
Main Activities & Responsibilities
- Percentage
- Identify, plan, carry out and modify experiments to meet the objectives of the project
- 70
- Prepare results, reports and manuscripts for publication in leading scientific journals and other relevant media
- 5
- Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings
- 5
- Ensure research and record keeping is carried out in accordance with good practice, Scientific Integrity and in compliance with local policies and any legal requirements
- 5
- Contribute to the smooth running of the group, including the effective use of resources, supervision of visitors to the laboratory and assisting with training others, encouraging scientific excellence
- 5
- Continually strive for excellence, seeking out and acting on feedback and relevant learning and development opportunities
- 5
- As agreed with the line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post, for example, contributing to the work of Institute committees
- 5
Person Profile
Education & Qualifications
- Requirement
- Importance
- PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in cell biology or related discipline
- Essential
- BSc or equivalent in Biology or equivalent
- Essential
Specialist Knowledge & Skills
- Requirement
- Importance
- Proficiency in molecular biology, including efficient production of DNA constructs, generation and selection of transgenic lines
- Essential
- Knowledge in arabidopsis developmental genetics
- Desirable
- Bioimaging skills (e.g. confocal microscopy, super-resolution microscopy)
- Desirable
- Quantitative image analysis
- Desirable
Relevant Experience
- Requirement
- Importance
- Demonstrated ability to perform high-quality research and develop novel ideas in an area relevant to the project
- Essential
- Proven record in scientific writing
- Essential
- Experience of oral research presentations
- Essential
- Experience of supervising, training and mentoring visitors and students
- Desirable
- Experience in Arabidopsis developmental genetics
- Desirable
Interpersonal & Communication Skills
- Requirement
- Importance
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to present complex information with clarity
- Essential
- Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work as part of a team
- Essential
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skills
- Essential
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Essential
- Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
- Essential
- Promotes and strives for continuous improvement
- Essential
Additional Requirements
- Requirement
- Importance
- Promotes equality and values diversity
- Essential
- Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required
- Essential
- Ability to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars
- Essential
- Attention to detail
- Essential
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate
- Essential
- Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work
- Essential
- Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute
- Essential
Who We Are
John Innes Centre
The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society.
Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology.
For more information about working at the John Innes Centre, please click here.
We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on +44 (0)1603 450888 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk.
We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme, a founding signatory of the Tecnician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).
Department
Cell & Developmental Biology
Group Details
The group led by Prof. Robert Sablowski focuses on fundamental aspects of plant development, with emphasis on meristem development and early organogenesis. More recently, the group has been exploring how cell growth is coordinated with cell cycle progression and cell fate during shoot development. The team currently has four postdocs, two PhD students and one research assistant.
Living in Norfolk
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Postdoctoral Researcher
Salary: £37,500 - £45,350 per annum depending on qualifications and experience.
Contract: Two years, full-time
Location: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
Closing date: 30 November 2025
Reference: 1004984
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Sablowski Group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in the field of Cell and Developmental Biology.
About the John Innes Centre:
The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet, sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game changing impact of our science globally.
Our employees enjoy access to state-of-the-art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre.
About the Sablowski Group:
The Sablowski lab works on the genetics and cell biology of meristem and early organ development in the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana. The team is relatively small (6-7 members), collaborative and led by a supervisor who is active at the bench. Reflecting the quality of their research and training, a large fraction of the postdocs who worked in the team moved up to long-term research positions in academia or industry.
Recent work in the group has focused on the genetic control of cell size. From bacteria to humans, cell size is important for many processes, including exchange of nutrients and signals, cell division and the function of specialised cells. However, how cells achieve and maintain their genetically controlled size has been a long-standing mystery. The Sablowski team has shown that in meristem cells, DNA content is used as a reference to adjust cell cycle progression to cell size (doi:10.1126/science.abb4348). The aims of the next phase of this project include revealing how the size of specialised cells is regulated, particularly in the stomatal lineage, and the functional relevance of cell size control.
The role:
Within the broad aims of the project, the post holder will design, execute, and interpret experiments to test hypotheses, then propose and test their own hypotheses, informed by results. The post holder will also be responsible for the analysis, curation and effective sharing of their data, will communicate the results though papers and in conferences, will help with shared lab tasks and train new lab members.
The ideal candidate:
You will have a PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in molecular biology, cell biology or a related discipline. The ideal candidate will have a rigorous, analytical, and creative mind, passion for curiosity-driven science and research experience in molecular cell biology and/or developmental genetics.
Additional information:
Interviews will be held during the first half of January 2026.
For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website http://jobs.jic.ac.uk or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1004984. This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Where the successful applicant requires a visa, we will fund the costs for their visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options.
We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.
The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.