Postdoctoral Research Scientist (Tissue Programme) - MDLS

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

- Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
- Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
- Climate Change & Managing CO₂
- Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at www.eit.org .

Welcome to the Institute of Materials & Devices for Life Sciences (MDLS):

The vision for the Institute of Materials & Devices for Life Sciences (MDLS) at the Ellison Institute of Technology is to advance human health by scaling interdisciplinary science at the interface of chemistry, biology and engineering. Led by Professor Hagan Bayley, it will house more than 100 researchers engaging in three interrelated endeavors; Nanopore Sensing and Sequencing, 3D Tissue Construction, and Device Engineering. The MDLS Institute will expand nanopore science to detect a wider range of biological molecules, including volatiles in human breath. While in parallel, pioneering novel methods that integrate synthetic and living tissues into structures for organ repair. All the research will be underpinned by the development of new devices capable of serving as powerful tools in clinical settings.

Your Role:

The Tissue Programme, led by Dr Linna Zhou and Professor Hagan Bayley within MDLS at the EIT, is seeking talented postdoctoral researchers to join its interdisciplinary team. The Programme develops technologies for the fabrication of three-dimensional living, synthetic and hybrid tissues. These platforms are used to generate functional, patterned tissues to model human disease, test therapeutics, modulate tissue function, and support the repair of damaged tissues and organs.

Our research combines advances in stem cell biology, tissue engineering and device engineering to develop next-generation technologies with translational and clinical potential.

The group currently comprises approximately 15 members, including postdoctoral researchers, DPhil students and laboratory technicians.

We are seeking postdoctoral researchers in the following areas:

- Cell Biology: Candidates should have expertise in stem cell culture and differentiation. Experience with organoid models, including brain, cardiac or immune organoids, and their characterisation would be advantageous. Skills in proteomics, bulk or single-cell RNA sequencing, tissue processing and advanced imaging are also desirable.
- Electrophysiology: We seek researchers with experience in cellular or tissue electrophysiology, particularly in investigating the electrical activity of neurons or cardiac cells within three-dimensional tissue models. Experience with patch-clamp recording, multielectrode arrays, calcium imaging, optogenetics or related techniques is highly desirable.
- Bioinformatics: We are looking for candidate with experience in omics datasets, including bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and/or proteomics. The candidate will work closely with experimental biologists to design experiments and interpret results; develop reproducible computational pipelines for data processing, quality control and statistical analysis; maintaining well-documented code, databases and data-management workflows; and support laboratory members with bioinformatics training and data analysis.
- Hydrogel Science: Candidates should have experience in the synthesis, modification and characterisation of biocompatible hydrogels. A background in polymer chemistry, biomaterials or hydrogel-based cell culture is preferred. The successful candidate will develop hydrogel systems for the three-dimensional printing of stem-cell-derived tissues.
- Tissue Engineering: We seek tissue engineers with strong expertise in microfluidics and/or bioprinting for the fabrication of three-dimensional tissues derived from human stem cells. Experience in functional characterisaiton of specific tissues is desirable. Researchers will work closely with cell biologists preparing diverse stem-cell-derived cell types and device engineers developing advanced biofabrication platforms.

Requirements

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

- Completion of a PhD years in a relevant field (e.g. human cell biology, physiology and pathology, biophysics, biomedical engineering, and materials science).
- Proven record of research achievements, including publications in high-impact journals and presentations at international conferences.
- Skill in data analysis and interpretation, with experience in one or more of the following areas desirable: stem cell and tissue culture, microfluidics, bio-printing, device design and fabrication, or hydrogels.
- Proven ability to work independently, think creatively, and solve complex experimental problems.
- Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to identify and resolve challenging technical issues.
- Broad understanding of current developments in relevant fields and the ability to identify promising directions for future research and technology development.
- Innovative thinking with a proactive approach to problem-solving and scientific discovery.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience of collaboration in multidisciplinary teams.
- Capacity to build and sustain productive collaborations internally and externally.
- Resilience, adaptability, and enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, high-growth research environment.

Please note that our postdoctoral recruitment process is cyclical, and review periods can range from 1 to 4 months.

Benefits

- Travel allowance + bonus
- Pension - Employer contribution 7.5%, minimum employee contribution 5%
- Life Assurance.
- Income Protection
- Private Medical Insurance as standard for you, your partner and any dependents. Including hospital Cash Plan
- Employee discounts
- Electric car scheme
- Nursery Salary Sacrifice scheme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Family Planning
- Neurodiversity support including advise and assessments
- Coaching & Therapy services

Working Together – What It Involves:

- You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
- You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford (or be willing to relocate).
- These are site based roles