Job reference: BMH-031253
Salary: £37,694 - £46,049 per annum depending on experience
Faculty/Organisational Unit: Biology, Medicine Health
Location: Oxford Road
Employment type: Fixed Term
Division/Team: Division of Evolution, Infection & Genomics
Hours Per Week: Full time (1 FTE)
Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 15/05/2026
Contract Duration: Fixed term for 30 months
School/Directorate: School of Biological Sciences

Job Description


We are seeking a postdoctoral research associate in microbial evolution as part of an interdisciplinary consortium investigating the evolutionary biology of antimicrobial resistance.

Rising antimicrobial resistance is a threat to global health that is caused by microbial evolution and as such requires evolution-informed solutions. This project, funded by the Wellcome Trust, seeks to better understand and thus predict the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacterial infections. The role will use experimental evolution to understand how pathogen genomic lineages vary in their evolvability, and how microbe-microbe interactions within the microbiome shape the evolution of antibiotic resistance.

This position provides an excellent opportunity for ambitious researchers who are interested in applying ecological and evolutionary approaches to combat antibiotic resistance as part of an interdisciplinary team. The postholder will be embedded in a large community of microbial ecology and evolution researchers in Manchester, and will be encouraged to develop new lines of research and collaborations within the consortium.

The postholder will be based at University of Manchester within the group of Michael Brockhurst, but will collaborate closely with the groups of Steve Paterson and Joanne Fothergill (Liverpool), and Dylan Childs (Sheffield).

You should have a PhD in evolutionary biology or evolutionary microbiology and experience of microbial evolution research. Candidates with training in experimental evolution and / or the evolution of antibiotic resistance are strongly encouraged to apply.

What you will get in return:

  • Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
  • Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
  • Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
  • Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
  • Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Michael Brockhurst

Email: michael.brockhurst@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.



Take a look around the company https://www.manchester.ac.uk/