An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Research Assistant/Lab manager to join the newly starting Schreier group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in the field of plant cell biology and C4 photosynthesis.

About the Schreier Group

This post holder will be based in Tina Schreier’s group, in the Crop Genetics department of the John Innes Centre.

 

The Schreier group is a newly established research group (July 2026) focused on the cell biology of C4 photosynthesis. The group’s current research has several sub-objectives:
• Unravelling the cellular and molecular mechanisms that establish C4 bundle sheath architecture
• Assessing the contribution of individual cellular architectural features to building an effective carbon concentrating mechanism in C4 plants
• Understanding how bundle sheath cell architecture evolved across independent C4 evolutionary events

This knowledge will be essential for the developmental of leaf architecture in C4 plants that will inform design strategies for engineering C4 photosynthesis into C3 crops to increase yield.

Our team will be multidisciplinary and will maintain a vibrant, stimulating and supportive research atmosphere. We aim to recruit multiple postdoctoral scientists, postgraduate students and research assistants. We will also regularly host projects for undergraduate students. We collaborate with other research groups at John Innes Centre, as well those based at other institutes within the UK and abroad.

The role

Research Assistants enhance the output of a research group by providing technical and administrative support to the Group Leader and group members. The successful candidate will have two main roles.

Firstly, they will contribute to research that aims to develop a full molecular understanding of the formation of specialised bundle sheath cells in C4 plants which underpins their remarkable photosynthetic efficiency. The post-holder will have their own project, and will be expected to plan, execute and interpret their experiments, with advice from the Group Leader where appropriate. They will also contribute to ongoing research projects being led by the postdocs and students of the Schreier lab. The post-holder will work independently on a day-to-day basis, and will be expected to exercise creativity and problem-solving skills, and acquire new skills as required.

Secondly, they will oversee the smooth running of the laboratory. Management tasks will include allocation of lab duties among group members, co-ordination of growth space and other shared resources, ordering and maintaining lab supplies, and keeping records of nucleic acid and seed stocks. They will participate in the mentoring of less-experienced lab members, providing training in techniques routinely performed in the lab and hosting mini-projects for visiting students.

The ideal candidate

You will have a BSc or equivalent in biology, with plants as a major element. You will also have a PhD in plant biology or related discipline, or the equivalent length of experience in laboratory management. You will have in-depth knowledge of plant biology, and demonstrated ability to generate high quality data in plant molecular biology and/or plant genetics. It is essential that you value teamwork, and previous experience in laboratory management is highly desirable.

Additional information

For further information and details of how to apply can be found here or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk quoting reference 1006160.

This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. 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.

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