Research Fellow in Polymers as Antivirals - School of Chemistry - 1073377 - Grade 7

Position Details

School of Chemistry

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822. As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £46,049.

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to November 2026

Closing date: 2nd August 2026

Background

To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within an established research programme and/or specific research project. Specifically, the appointed research fellow will work as part of an EPSRC funded project aimed at the design, synthesis, characterisation and testing of polymers as antivirals. 

This post is based within the Jones Lab within the new Molecular Sciences Building (MSB) as part of the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham and will be conducted in close collaboration with Public Health England (PHE) at Porton Down. 

You will be a trustworthy, conscientious, innovative experimental scientist who has successfully completed a PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Bioengineering (or similar), Polymer Science or have equivalent experience. 

Experience in polymer synthesis and characterisation and/or a strong chemistry background is essential. Previous experience of working with viruses (or other pathogens) is advantageous but not essential.

The school is strongly committed to promoting equality and diversity, including the Athena SWAN Charter for gender equality in higher education. The Department holds a Bronze Award and is working towards Silver, which recognises their good practice in relation to gender; including flexible working arrangements, family-friendly policies, and support to allow staff to achieve a good work-life balance. We positively welcome applications from women, who are currently under-represented at this grade, for this post. Appointment will always be made on merit.

Role Summary

The main responsibilities will include the synthesis and full characterisation of polymers, likely using reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and their testing and further development towards use as antivirals. 

During the project you will prepare novel antiviral polymers that will, in the first instance, be used in solution but can be adapted for use in the solid phase. The main focus will be on screening and testing a wide array of polymer compositions to identify key characteristics that lead to potent antiviral properties. This knowledge will then be used to design a novel antiviral polymer that will be further screened by PHE. The synthesis of compounds and polymers and their characterisation will be imperative so prior experience in synthesis and characterisation techniques will be essential. 

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous:

• Cell and viral culture and associated assays
• High-throughput polymer synthesis techniques/approaches 
• Assay development

In addition to the above you will be expected to;

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 
• Contribute to generating funding 
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

Essential Skills;

• First degree in area of specialism, particularly polymer and small molecule synthesis in this instance, and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to liaise confidently and effectively with a range of individuals
• Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise
• Willingness to learn and develop
• Ability to present publications
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Strong journal publication record
• The ability to evaluate complex data
• Ability to contribute to broader management and administrative processes
• Ability to assess and organise resources
• Understand equal opportunity issues as they may impact on areas of research content.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience; 

• Experience with cell culture and related biological assays
• Experience with handling viral samples and their assays
• Experience with colorimetric assays/dyes
• Experience in writing up reports, papers, patents and grant applications

Informal enquiries to Samuel Jones, email: [email protected] 

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.