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The latest job opportunities here at UCL Biochemical Engineering
PDRA in Seaweed Bioprocessing Intensification Development
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Ref Number B04-04924
Professional Expertise Research and Research Support
Department UCL BEAMS (B04)
Location UCL East
Working Pattern Full time
Salary £42,099–£50,585
Contract Type Fixed-term
Working Type On site
Available For Secondment No
Closing Date 06-May-2024
About us
This research will be conducted in the Manufacturing Futures Laboratory (MFL) (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/manufacturing-futures-lab/)at UCL East, UCL’s new campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. The MFL is an innovative facility that brings together core expertise from several departments, enabling the development of new strategic research focused on knowledge-based manufacturing to deliver the sustainable products and processes of the future. We are seeking to recruit a proactive, collaborative, dedicated, well organised, highly motivated, and driven Postdoctoral Research Associate to join Dr Emily Kostas’ research group to lead research on bioprocess intensification development within seaweed biorefineries.
About the role
Applications are invited to join a multidisciplinary programme of research that aims to establish a UK seaweed bioeconomy built on integrated biorefinery technologies. The primary role of the PDRA will be to lead on the creation of new reactor designs and bioproduct recovery strategies to intensify processes that can be embedded within seaweed biorefineries. The postholder will be required to conduct research in prototype development, and apply process and parameter optimization using statistical parametric study software (such as Design of Experiments) to optimize bioproduct recovery. The work will also address the identification of compatible intensification downstream separation processing techniques for target bioproducts of interest. Any biomass/bioproduct handling, bioproduct screening and analytical chemistry expertise will be beneficial but not essential, as such training will be provided to the postholder. Key deliverable for this research is the bioprocess evaluation to determine the most feasible overall process route and economic feasibility. The postholder will also have the opportunity to benefit from Responsible Research and Innovation, and Policy training to complement their research skillset, and to participate as a research representative in workshops with seaweed bioeconomy stakeholders.
About you
You will hold a PhD (or be about to be awarded a PhD) in a relevant discipline, e.g. Biochemical/Chemical Engineering, and ideally possess experience in one or more of the following areas: reactor design, transport phenomena, separation processes, or materials processing. You’ll have the ability to generate, analyze and document experimental data through efficient project management and creative problem solving. An ability to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team is essential. We want to give people opportunity for development and this role is one where we could consider a wide range of different skills and experiences. Whilst all candidates must meet the essential criteria in order to be shortlisted, we actively encourage candidates who may not meet all of the desirable criteria to apply as we consider these to be areas the successful candidate can grow within the role. For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Emily Kostas, e.kostas@ucl.ac.uk
What we offer
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits, some of which are below: • 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave, 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days) • Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE) • Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan • On-Site nursery • On-site gym • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay • Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service • Discounted medical insurance
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/
Available documents
PDRA in Scaling of Vaccine Bioprocessing Manufacturing
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Ref Number B04-04933
Professional Expertise Research and Research Support
Department UCL BEAMS (B04)
Location London
Working Pattern Full time
Salary £42,099–£50,585
Contract Type Fixed-term
Working Type On site
Available For Secondment No
Closing Date 08-May-2024
About us
This position is a key part of the Manufacturing Research Hub for a Sustainable Future (Vax-Hub Sustainable), led by UCL Biochemical Engineering and the University of Oxford with academic and industrial partners. Vax-Hub Sustainable is funded with a £12M EPSRC grant, part of UKRI. It builds on the success of the DHSC-funded Vax-Hub 1, which played a critical role in making the UK the global centre for vaccine discovery, development and manufacture. Its research underpinned the development of the ChAdOx-1 nCoV-19 vaccine, subsequently licensed to AstraZeneca, with benefit to over 180 countries. Vax-Hub Sustainable’s vision is to deliver manufacturing innovations that enable a transformative change towards sustainable and rapidly responsive vaccine manufacture.
About the role
The postholder will develop small scale and validated process sequences to facilitate the digitalisation of experimentation for vaccine bioprocess development. The project focuses on the development of an upstream-downstream process for one or more of the vaccine technologies available within the hub (mRNA, VLPs, viral vectored and glycoconjugates). There will be a high degree of interaction with UCL colleagues and industrial partners so excellent team-working and communication skills will be required. The post holder will be responsible for undertaking original experimental research, reporting on project progress and the preparation and submission of research papers arising from these and related studies.
About you
You hold a PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g. Bio/Chemical Engineering) or a related area or in natural sciences reinforced with an emphasis on scaling bioprocesses and/or interest in vaccines, and ideally possess experience in biochemical analyses, analytical procedures, molecular biology techniques, up and downstream process for vaccine production, scaling up/down approaches and miniaturization. We want to give people opportunity for development and this role is one where we could consider a wide range of different skills and experiences . Whilst all candidates must meet the essential criteria in order to be shortlisted, we actively encourage candidates who may not meet all of the desirable criteria to apply as we consider these to be areas the successful candidate can grow within the role. For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Martina Micheletti at m.micheletti@ucl.ac.uk
What we offer
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below: • 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days) • Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE) • Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan • On-Site nursery • On-site gym • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay • Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service • Discounted medical insurance
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be under represented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/
Available documents
Research Fellow in Stem Cell Bioprocessing
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Ref NumberB04-04932
Professional ExpertiseResearch and Research Support
Department UCL BEAMS (B04)
Location London
Working Pattern Full time
Salary £42,099–£50,585
Contract Type Fixed-term
Working Type On site
Available For Secondment No
Closing Date 09-May-2024
About us
UCL Biochemical Engineering is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Fellow on a fixed-term of 36 months with possibility of extension to be part of the growing UCL Cellular Agriculture Research Group led by Dr Petra Hanga (https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/84339-petra-hanga) and the newly EPSRC/UKRI-funded Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA). CARMA is a £12M hub that aims to transform food production, transitioning to an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable model in which novel manufacturing systems complement traditional food production. Cellular Agriculture will enable the manufacture of staple foods, such as meat, without the environmental and land impacts of traditional farming and associated ethical issues.
About the role
This exciting project will focus on designing manufacturing technologies for high cell yield at scale. It will explore methods for process intensification to enhance cell yields and reduce resource use and associated costs. These will also include explorations of media recycling and waste valorisation. Scale-up of these developed strategies/technologies will be an integral aspect of this project. This is a fixed-term role of 36 months with possibility of extension. For full description of the duties and responsibilities, please consult the Job Description document.
About you
The successful applicant will have a PhD in a relevant subject (e.g. biochemical engineering, bioprocessing, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering etc), significant experience with mammalian cell culture and knowledge and experience of working with stirred tank bioreactors. Experience of working with stem cells and hydrogels/biomaterials is highly desirable. Excellent organisational, planning and time management skills are essential. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and a flexible approach to problem-solving are required. You should have excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to carry out high quality original research, leading to publication in peer-reviewed journals. The ability to project manage parallel research work packages and to work to deadlines is also essential. If you have any queries about the role, please contact m.hanga@ucl.ac.uk.
What we offer
For information about our rewards and benefits please visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/.