Research Associate

Job description

About the role

Join the Ballester group at Imperial College London as a post-doctoral Research Associate and work on a project to build an integrated AI-driven functional genomic and chemoproteomic platform to improve antifungal drug discovery, targeting the critical f ungal pathogen Candida auris.

What you would be doing

You will develop AI models to predict whole-cell antifungal activity across ultra-large, synthesis-on-demand chemical spaces. In addition, you will develop AI models to predict antifungal-induced toxicity across multiple biological contexts, including organ-specific iPSC-derived cell lines. Using pre- and post-treatment scRNA-seq profiles of C. auris , you will develop models to predict the susceptibility or resistance of individual C. auris isolates to specific antifungal treatments based solely on their pre-treatment transcriptional profiles. These models will support the selection of effective drug therapies and the identification of optimal treatment combinations for antifungal-resistant C. auris strains.

Some recent publications of the Ballester group in this broad area are:

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.76959

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13321-025-01039-8

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.024

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03948-w

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-023-00885-w

What we are looking for

You will hold a PhD in AI-driven drug discovery, with expertise in areas such as AI-enabled phenotypic drug discovery, as demonstrated by a strong publication record in the field. Candidates with a strong track record in related areas, such as precision oncology and biomedical bioinformatics, will also be considered.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to co-supervise master students and co-author the resulting publications.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Grow your career: gain access to Imperial's sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
• As a member of research staff you have 10 development days to use to develop your skills and explore your career prospects
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing .

Further information

This project is funded by the Wellcome Trust and will be carried out in collaboration with other Imperial groups within the Fleming Initiative , GSK and the Dundee Drug Discovery Unit .

This is a fulltime, fixed term role for 24 months.

Please note that this is a PhD-level role, thus if the successful candidate has not yet been officially awarded a PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant .

For informal enquiries about this position please contact Dr Pedro Ballester with your CV and list of publications ([email protected]).

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

If you experience any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] . We're here to help.