Main Purpose of the Job

A Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics position is newly available in the Saunders group at the John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich, UK. The post holder will work with genome sequence and RNAseq datasets to study the notorious wheat rust pathogens, which have been associated with crop failures and famine throughout history.

The appointee will lead the development of all bioinformatic elements for two projects:

1) Further developing and supporting the award-winning MARPLE diagnostics system (https://marple-diagnostics.org), and using this system to study wheat rust population dynamics at an international scale. The MARPLE system uses MinION sequencing to rapidly diagnose individual wheat rust strains and has been deployed across East Africa and South Asia.

2) Analysing wheat rust infection RNAseq datasets. This will include further developing existing approaches in the lab that have proved extremely fruitful in using these datasets to identify new sources of wheat rust resistance. This will provide the candidate the opportunity to contribute directly to strengthening wheat resilience to rust infection.

This post provides an exciting opportunity for the candidate to work in a multidisciplinary research group in the Crop Genetics department at the JIC, whilst also working with partners across East Africa, South Asia and at the international maize and wheat improvement center, CIMMYT.

Key Relationships

Internal: The appointee will work closely with all members of the Saunders Lab. External: Collaborators at CIMMYT based in Mexico, South Asia and East Africa.

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Percentage

Develop, test, maintain and execute bioinformatic pipelines that are relevant to the projects

30

Identify, plan, carry out and modify experiments to meet the objectives of the project

30

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

10

Lead data management and promote best practice

10

Liaise with external stakeholders

10

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

Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings

5

Education & Qualifications

Requirement

Importance

PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) in computer science or bioinformatics

Essential

BSc or equivalent in computer science, biology, bioinformatics or a related field

Essential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement

Importance

Skilled in use of Python libraries (pandas, Biopython etc.)

Essential

Proficient in Python programming language

Essential

Experience of supervising, training and mentoring visitors and students

Essential

Proficient in Bash scripting

Essential

Relevant Experience

Requirement

Importance

Experience in building and/or maintaining bioinformatic pipelines

Essential

Experience analysing large complex datasets

Essential

Experience in software testing

Essential

Experience in supervising, training and mentoring

Desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement

Importance

Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders

Essential

Excellent time management and organisational skills

Essential

Demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skills

Essential

Promotes and strives for continuous improvement

Essential

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

Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work

Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement

Importance

Attention to detail

Essential

Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate

Essential

Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required

Essential

Promotes equality and values diversity

Essential

Ability to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars

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

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

Crop Genetics

The Department of Crop Genetics undertakes fundamental research on the biology of cereals, brassicas and legumes to understand the genetic and molecular basis of phenotypic variation. A major goal is to develop the technologies and knowledge base to provide a predictive framework that will underpin conventional and novel plant breeding strategies. This will enable high-yielding, stress and disease resistant varieties, with a particular end-use quality, suitable for an efficient but benign agriculture.

Group Details

The Saunders group works on a variety of emerging and re-emerging plant pathogens using a broad array of techniques that include molecular genetics, biochemistry, plant pathology, cell biology, genomics, transcriptomics and data mining to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the plant pathogen interface.

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Postdoctoral Researcher – Bioinformatics

Salary:            £37,500 - £42,000 per annum depending on qualifications and experience
Contract:        24 months, fulltime
Location:        John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
Closing date: 12 July 2026
Reference:     1006134

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics to join the Saunders Group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in plant disease diagnostics.

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 Saunders Group:

The Saunders group works on a variety of emerging and re-emerging plant pathogens using a broad array of techniques that includes molecular genetics, biochemistry, plant pathology, cell biology, genomics, transcriptomics, and data mining to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the plant pathogen interface.

The role:

The successful candidate will work with genome sequence and RNAseq datasets to study the notorious wheat rust pathogens, which have been associated with crop failures and famine throughout history.

The appointee will lead the development of all bioinformatic elements for two projects: 

1) Further developing and supporting the award-winning MARPLE diagnostics system, and using this system to study wheat rust population dynamics at an international scale. The MARPLE system uses MinION sequencing to rapidly diagnose individual wheat rust strains and has been deployed across East Africa and South Asia.

2) Analysing wheat rust infection RNAseq datasets. This will include further developing existing approaches in the lab that have proved extremely fruitful in using these datasets to identify new sources of wheat rust resistance. This will provide the candidate the opportunity to contribute directly to strengthening wheat resilience to rust infection.

This post provides an exciting opportunity for the candidate to work in a multidisciplinary research group in the Crop Genetics department at the JIC, whilst also working with partners across East Africa, South Asia and at the international maize and wheat improvement center, CIMMYT.

The ideal candidate:

You will have excellent programme skills in Python, Bash and experience with software testing. You will have demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and in applying problem solving skills. A PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) in computer science, bioinformatics or a related field is also essential.

Additional information:

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.