Current vacancies

Advanced Research Assistant

Salary £24,589 to £30,995 plus excellent benefits. 

Fixed term for 3 years.

The Voet team develops and uses cutting-edge molecular biology methods to study single cells to answer questions in areas including mammalian and human development as well as cancer biology. We use assays that can process tens, hundreds or thousands of cells in parallel, and are working on approaches to take multiple measurements from the same cell. Recent publications include development of the “G&T-seq” protocol, which captures both DNA and RNA from single cells.

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated Advanced Research Assistant with extensive experience in molecular biology techniques to assist in novel protocol development for single-cell analyses, scientific research projects by performing complex single-cell experiments and provide core laboratory support. Your role would include exposure to multiple novel technologies and protocols as well as being the organisational centre of our lab. 

Reference:82777

Advanced Research Assistant - Cell biologist

Salary £24,589 to £30,995 plus excellent benefits. 

Fixed term for 3 years.

The Barrett and Anderson groups at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) use cutting-edge statistical methods to identify genetic associations to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. A research assistant position is available under the leadership of Drs Rebecca McIntyre, Carl Anderson and Jeffrey Barrett. This is an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to assist in the application of the latest technology in cell biology, including induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSC), organoids and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, to funtionally validate sequence variants and regulatory regions associated with predisposition to pathological immune responses. Once validated with cell lines, we will perform ex-vivo assays using primary immune cells obtained from individuals carrying the genetic variants of interest. The goal of the project is to identify novel, potential therapeutic targets for immune-mediated diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease.

Specifically, the post-holder will perform CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genetic engineering of immune cell lines and IPSC. They will differentiate IPSC to relevant cell types and intestinal organoids, and  determine the functional significance of genetic variants using appropriate cellular assays and standard molecular biological techniques. The post-holder will develop and optimise ex-vivo primary human immune cell assays.  We welcome candidates with a background in cell biology, molecular biology and/or immunology with experience in cell assay development. Experience in ex-vivo primary cell assays, human IPSC, organoids and flow cytometry are highly desirable. The candidate will have the opportunity to interact with other computational and experimental research teams at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

Reference:82785

Cancer Genetic Scientist

Salary range from £31,498 to £39,729 per annum plus excellent benefits. 

Discovering & characterising the genetic drivers of cancer.

We seek a talented and highly motivated post-doctoral scientist to lead new research on cancer mutations in the COSMIC team at the Sanger institute, Cambridge, UK.

We are using bioinformatic techniques to characterise every genetic mutation across all forms of cancer, to define and understand the important genetic events which are creating disease. Ultimately, this is intended to identify and describe new targets for precision medicine development.

In this position you will take a leading scientific role in a new project aiming to describe every cancer mutation across multiple biological properties. We aim to take a very broad approach across millions of variants and hundreds of cancer disease types, to identify which variants act as drivers of disease, then correlate how they work together to cause disease. You will have the opportunity to characterise the biological features of every mutation in cancer, defining what might make them drive cancer. You will be aiming to compose a unique set of bioinformatic resources, generated from existing systems and databases, as well as new ones created by you, to identify key features across somatic cancer variation, primarily focused on annotating the COSMIC database.

Working in the COSMIC team, the world’s largest and most detailed database of cancer mutations will be available to you. Within the broader Sanger Institute, you will have access to global specialists in genomics with decades of experience discovering new disease genes. In addition, this information is vital for use in pharmaceutical and clinical applications, so we have partnered with AstraZeneca on this project, working closely with their Oncology division; your research will therefore impact directly on the discovery and development of new precision medicines.

We anticipate this project will create a major new resource to discover and understand new targets in cancer genetics, and your research can ultimately have an impact on the clinical treatment of cancer patients when they reach hospital. You will also have substantial opportunities to learn more about precision oncology, and how pharmaceutical development works. We also anticipate several high-impact publication opportunities from the research you drive, focused around data annotation and exploration, biomarker discovery along with novel bioinformatic methods you may develop. 

Reference:82781

Category Buyer

Salary: £31498 to £39729pa plus excellent benefits

An exciting opportunity has become available for a Category Buyer with a particular focus on service contracts to initiate and drive change in analysing, structuring and putting a strategy in place in consultation with internal stakeholders, regarding the management of spend and performance related to service contracts with scientific suppliers.

The postholder will coordinate contractual activities within a busy and often complex procurement team. The role will incorporate contract preparation, contract performance management, contract renewals and contract close-outs along with Redline and commercial risk assessment of supplier terms and conditions.

Key to this role will be the timely review of contracts whilst working efficiently with significant complexity, busy work schedules and very tight deadlines.  

Reference:82686

Computational Biologist/Bioinformatician

Salary £31,498 to £39,729 per annum depending on experience (Senior Bioinformatician)

Salary £24,589 to £30,995 per annum depending on experience (Bioinformatician)

Fixed term for 3 years.

A highly motivated Bioinformatician is required, to investigate genomic datasets from defined projects carried out by our team. The appointment grade will be commensurate to the successful applicant’s expertise.

Our Group studies the pathogenesis and treatment of haematological cancers with an emphasis on myeloid leukaemias. We work towards this through a number of complementary approaches including the analysis of human normal and leukaemia samples, the identification of therapeutic vulnerabilities of leukaemia cells using CRISPR-Cas9 screens and the study of bespoke mouse and cellular models of leukaemia-associated gene mutations. Our overarching aim is to improve the survival and quality of life of patients with leukaemia and related cancers.

This is a new position that has been created to provide both day-to-day support and strategic direction for the bioinformatic needs of our Group. This will involve the exploration of genomic datasets generated by our studies including DNA and methylome sequencing, RNA-seq/splicing, ChIP-Seq, single cell genomics and analysis of CRISPR-Cas9 screens. Working closely with our computational and wet lab scientists, as well as the extended Cancer Programme (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/science/programmes/cancer-genetics-and-genomics), the successful candidate will be responsible for the analysis, integration and visualisation of these datasets and will be able to harness the extensive expertise already available at the Sanger Institute for such analyses. A highly motivated individual will also be given the opportunity to pursue their own independent project in the field of leukaemia and/or related disorders.

Whilst direct expertise in such studies/analyses is desirable, enthusiasm, rigour and intellectual curiosity are more important for this role. Additional, the post holder will be responsive and reactive to the needs of their role/work, hands-on and able to instruct others in the use of simple command line skills for routine tasks. It is also envisaged that, as the role develops, the successful candidate will be given the opportunity to supervise visiting bioinformaticians or co-supervise MPhil students from the University of Cambridge or elsewhere.

Reference:82776

Faculty Position in Cellular Genetics

Faculty Position at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is seeking an exceptional early to mid-career stage scientist to join its Core Faculty to lead a research team in Cellular Genetics and contribute to the Institute’s scientific portfolio.

The Institute is an internationally outstanding genomic research centre with approximately 40 core Faculty teams and 1,100 employees based south of Cambridge. Our mission is to use genome sequences to advance understanding of the biology of humans and pathogens in order to improve human health. With core funding and state-of-the-art platforms in sequencing, model organisms, cellular genetics and IT, we enable our researchers to concentrate on biological questions across a diverse range of genomic and genetic science, in both independent studies and large-scale collaborations. The result is a unique, vibrant and interactive research environment with synergies and cross-fertilisation of ideas across and between programmes. 

We welcome candidates with research interests in single cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics, computational biology, and genomics technology development, and will also consider applications from exceptional individuals who have a different scientific focus within the field.

Reference:82753

Postdoctoral Fellow

Salary £31,115 to £39,004 plus excellent benefits.

Fixed term for 3 years.

We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Adams Faculty Team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

Synthetic lethality is a powerful strategy for treating cancer which exploits somatic mutations found in cancer genomes to specifically kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. The Experimental Cancer Genetics group (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/people/directory/adams-david) aims to use isogenic cell line systems to identify synthetic lethal interactions, an approach used previously to identify clinically relevant gene interactions such as the interaction between BRCA1/2 and PARP.

We seek a talented biologist to lead our genetic screening efforts. The post holder will work with a group of postdocs and students to deploy CRISPR screening to identify synthetic lethal interactions and to explore the biology of these interactions. The role would suit someone with a background in cancer genetics or genome engineering. A background in vector construction and lentiviral production would be advantageous.

The project will involve high-throughput sequencing, high-throughput screening technologies, and is supported by a team of computational biologists. This project underpins collaborations with the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the CR-UK Manchester Institute drug discovery unit. 

Reference:82763

Postdoctoral Fellow - Experimental Malaria

Salary range: £31,115 to £39,004 per annum depending on experience.

Fixed-term for 2 years initially.

The Sanger Institute Malaria Programme integrates genomic and experimental genetic approaches to tackle fundamental questions in malaria biology, and to identify new targets for drug and vaccine development. Our collaborative and multi-disciplinary research teams host a diverse and dynamic group of over 60 scientists led by seven core faculty members.

An opportunity is available for an enthusiastic Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Lee team on a multi-lab collaborative project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal is to systematically investigate new antimalarial targets in Plasmodium falciparum. The project will use a variety of genetic approaches, including CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, and capitalizes on existing expertise in the Lee lab and across multiple malaria teams at Sanger developing state-of-the-art CRISPR-based approaches for genome manipulation and drug target validation. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated expertise in parasite culture and genetic manipulation, as well as a strong molecular biology background, and will enjoying working in a collaborative research environment.  

Reference:82760

Postdoctoral Fellow - JPIAMR

Postdoctoral Fellow - Evolution of Antimicrobial Resistance in Pneumococci through deep sequencing

Salary: £31115 to £39004 per annum depending on experience.

We are looking to recruit a postdoctoral researcher to lead the analysis of a major new international project, funded through the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance. This post provides for the exciting new opportunity to employ deep genomic sequencing of a large pneumococcal sample collection to study the clinical impact of antibiotic exposure through generating a high-resolution view of pneumococcal evolution.

We are seeking to appoint a talented individual skilled in bioinformatic analysis of large genomic datasets and able to interpret the important evolutionary and epidemiological results. They will work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team and be responsible for designing studies, bioinformatic analysis, interpretation of results, and delivering manuscripts describing the outcomes. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop innovative analytical approaches for a range of bacterial pathogens as part of the broader group’s research programme.

The post will be within the Pathogen Genomics Group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. The Group has a world class record of pioneering the use of large-scale genomic data analysis to understand pathogen biology, epidemiology and evolution. The applicant would be part of team engaged in many exciting ongoing project areas studying pathogen characteristics such as person-to-person transmission, global spread, acquisition of antimicrobial resistance and severity of disease. Our studies are supported by genomic, clinical and epidemiological data for thousands of samples providing opportunities for well-powered analyses for a range of major bacterial pathogens.

The ideal applicant will have a PhD and significant experience in statistical genetics, microbial genomics, computational biology, or a related discipline, with demonstrated expertise in applying multiple statistical approaches to the analysis of large datasets to infer biological insights. They will join a lively group that combines the expertise of microbiologists, phylogeneticists, clinicians, mathematicians, bioinformaticians and software developers.

For any questions about the position, please contact Stephen Bentley (sdb@sanger.ac.uk)

Reference:82794

Postdoctoral Fellow - Single Cell Analyses (Malaria)

Salary Range: £31,498 to £39,729, plus excellent benefits.

Fixed term for 3 years.

In the Sanger Institute Malaria Programme, we are generating large scale genomic and transcriptomic data and we are looking for postdocs interested in using single cell technologies to ask questions about parasite and vector biology. We are generating thousands of parasite and mosquito single cell transcriptomes and we are looking for competitive candidates interested and experienced in either/both wet lab and large scale data analysis.

Malaria parasites are single celled organisms, and investigating them with single cell technologies is revealing new levels of complexity (see our paper on bioRxiv) in lab strains, and much more remains to be done on these lab parasites. We will also be taking portable single cell technologies (e.g., Seq Well) to endemic countries to understand parasite biology more deeply in the context of natural infections, as well as bringing back natural samples to investigate at the Institute using more standard single cell methods. Additionally, we are applying single cell techniques to important mosquito tissues relevant for malaria transmission to better understand vector/parasite interactions.

Obtained data will be used to address fundamental scientific problems in host-parasite-vector interactions and evolutionary biology as well as practical applications in disease control, e.g. working with public health agencies to prevent the spread of drug and insecticide resistance. 

The successful applicant will demonstrate dedication to leading this work while being part of a very large and multidisciplinary team, all of whom are invested in the projects.

Exceptional molecular and/or analytical skills are required as is a strong interest in malaria parasite and/or vector biology. We are multi-disciplinary teams, and the successful applicant will work collaboratively with a range of other specialists in the Programme including wet lab scientists, data analysts and statisticians, and malaria and vector biologists and geneticists, so teamwork and a collaborative ethos are required.

Reference:82783

Postdoctoral Fellow in integrative computational biology

Salary £31,115 to £34,151 plus excellent benefits.

Fixed term for 3 years.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled Postdoctoral Fellow in integrative computational biology to join the Soranzo team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/research/faculty/nsoranzo/). The post will suit an ambitious and talented computational biologist who is interested in applying his/her skills at the interface of human disease and regulatory genomics.

The Soranzo team at the Sanger Institute studies genomic predisposition to cardiometabolic risk. In the last ten years, we have led international efforts to discover genetic variants associated with both established and emerging risk factors in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and immunity. Distinguishing features of our research are the focus on large-scale science, the use of genome sequencing for genomic exploration, and a focus on high-dimensional (‘omic’) phenotypes, including metabolomics and gene expression phenotypes.

This project will focus on a main challenge of unravelling the functional consequences of human sequence variation discovered in our laboratory (e.g. Gieger et al Nature 2011, van der Harst et al Nature 2012, Astle et al. Cell 2016). The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for computational biology analyses integrating rich genomic datasets with molecular and cellular data from primary blood cells and relevant reference cell lines. Genomic datasets will include whole-genome sequencing and highly statistically powered association studies based on SNP arrays (e.g. UK BioBank) and whole-genome sequencing. Molecular datasets will include gene expression, promoter capture, histone modifications, methylation and transcription factor data generated in our laboratory and publically available datasets (e.g. from the BLUEPRINT and ENCODE projects). The primary aim of this work will be to characterise molecular mechanisms underlying causal genetic variants associated with haematological traits and disease. These results will inform large-scale functional genomic explorations using massively parallel reporter assays and other wet-lab techniques. The work of the post-holder is expected to lead to high-impact publications. 

This researcher will be embedded in the NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Genomics, and specifically in Theme 1: Determinants of donation-related biomarkers. The overall purpose of the research theme is to identify and characterise genomic and other factors associated with the capacity to give blood, informing evidence-based strategies to prevent blood donor ill health and blood donation deferral. The selected candidate will thus be embedded in an interdisciplinary team of computational scientists, bioinformaticians, statisticians and wet lab scientists seeking to study the functional impact of rare human sequence variation in complex traits and disease. The project will also involve collaboration with the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (CEU), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge (Professor John Danesh and Drs Adam Butterworth and Dirk Paul) and the University of Oxford (Professor Dave Roberts). More information about the BTRU can be found at http://donorhealth-btru.nihr.ac.uk/index.html.

Reference:82791

Principal Bioinformatician

Salary £38,989 to £49,602 plus excellent benefits.

We are seeking to appoint a highly skilled Principal Bioinformatician to join the Sandhu team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

The sucessful candidate will have overall responsibility to implement and develop as needed analysis pipelines for whole genome/transcriptomic/targeted sequencing data, using next and third generation sequencing platforms, including linked read (10x genomics) and single molecule (SMRT PacBio) sequencing, specifically in genetically diverse popualtions.

The role will provide the applicant with the opportunity to work with large-scale high resolution genomes from indigenous diverse populations, at the frontline of methodological development in genetics. The post holder will participate in strategic planning at the team level, and will drive forward the adoption of new sequencing technologies. The role is responsible, among other tasks, for the preparation and analysis of large datasets, as well as a for managing collaborative relationships within the frame of large international consortia.

Reference:82742

Research Assistant - Experimental Cancer Genetics

Salary £18,422 to £23,027 plus excellent benefits.

Fixed term for 2 years.

With the completion of the human genome and analysis of variation across multiple individuals, attention is now turning to the functional analysis of genes in mammals and their validation as therapeutic targets. Open Targets aims to provide evidence on the biological validity of therapeutic targets and provide an initial assessment of the likely effectiveness of pharmacological intervention on these targets, using genome-scale experiments and analysis. This open innovation, public-private partnership between WTSI, EMBL-EBI, GSK and Biogen, aims to provide an R&D framework that applies to all aspects of human disease, and to share its data openly with the scientific community (http://www.opentargets.org).

A new project funded by Open Targets, joint between the Experimental Cancer Genetics group headed by Dr David Adams at WTSI and GSK immuno-oncology, is to perform in depth analysis of Natural Killer (NK) cell surface protein interactors. The first phase of this project is a protein microarray screen to identify ligands for orphan NK cell receptors and to identify additional interactions. Following on from the identification of these ligand/receptor pairs their expression in normal tissue and tumours will be investigated. Finally, the functional importance of these pairs will be interrogated using a variety of assays.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to contribute to the generation of this data using a variety of laboratory techniques such as cell culture including manipulation of genes, flow cytometry, gene and protein expression analysis. Detailed record keeping is required, as is contribution to data analysis, review and reporting.

We offer a competitive reward package, including excellent benefits.

Reference:82775

Software Developer - Pathogen Informatics

Salary range: £31498 to £39729pa plus excellent benefits

Fixed-term for 2 years

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Software Developer to work within the Pathogen Informatics team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. The candidate will be responsible for developing backend software infrastructure that will enable biologists to curate and annotate protozoan parasites and pathogenic fungi genomes. Protozoa are responsible for many of the neglected diseases (Sleeping Sickness, Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis) that disproportionately affect the developing world. Fungi are responsible for more disease each year than malaria or tuberculosis. The candidate will work as part of an international collaboration involving software developers from the EuPathDB project at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Georgia, curators from the University of Liverpool, as well as researchers and developers in the Infection Genomics programme at the Sanger Institute.

The team is based on the principles of agile development so that the software can be rapidly prototyped, updated regularly and receive rapid feedback from scientists in the Infection Genomics programme and wider community. The team employ a testdriven development strategy for all software development projects and strongly promote open source development using Github for all software projects.

Reference:82756

Summer Placement Opportunity in HR

Salary: £1405per month

Fixed-term: 3 months Summer Placement Opportunity

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute's HR department are looking for a  summer student to assist with all aspects of testing of their new HR system. 

Work will involve writing clear test instructions, summary and reporting of test data, coordinating test planning and tracking progress of data for the new system.

Ideally you will be working towards a HR qualification or have some awareness standard HR business processes. Excellent attention to detail and highly discreet with a clear understanding of issues of confidentiality. Good communication and interpersonal skills are required to work with people at different levels across the Institute.

If you wish to gain experience within a HR department, this could be the opportunity for you.

To apply: Please upload your covering letter and CV demonstrating your suitability for the role.

Reference:82780

Web Developer - Pathogen Informatics

Salary range: £31498 to £39729pa plus excellent benefits

Fixed-term for 2 years

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Software Developer to work within the Pathogen Informatics team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. The candidate will be responsible for setting up and extending a web application to allow community based genome annotation of protozoan parasites and pathogenic fungi. Protozoa are responsible for many of the neglected diseases (Sleeping Sickness, Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis) that disproportionately affect the developing world. Fungi are responsible for more disease each year than malaria or tuberculosis. The candidate will work as part of an international collaboration involving software developers from the EuPathDB project at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Georgia, curators from the University of Liverpool, as well as researchers and developers in the Infection Genomics programme at the Sanger Institute to create rich user-friendly interfaces enabling the global research community to access, visualize, and interrogate genetic information on these organisms.

The team is based on the principles of agile development so that the software can be rapidly prototyped, updated regularly and receive rapid feedback from scientists in the Infection Genomics programme and wider community. The team employ a testdriven development strategy for all software development projects and strongly promote open source development using Github for all software projects.

Reference:82757