Molecular Biologist/Bioinformatician (ID4804)


Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Salary:	£40,056 to £40,056 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	KT15 3NB
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	15 Sept 2026
Closing date:	2 Oct 2026

Apply for this job

Summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? 

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our people are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

We are recruiting a bioinformatician/molecular biologist in the Antimicrobial Resistance and Enteric Pathogens team of the Department of Bacteriology. You will provide scientific expertise and leadership by collaboration with other departments, deliver work under research projects and surveillance contracts involving the investigation of bacteria of significance to food safety and public health. You will also contribute your expertise to expand the capability of molecular identification and characterisation of these bacteria at APHA.

Developing and applying molecular biology methods and bioinformatics techniques to support research and surveillance activities funded by VMD/Defra as well as other projects at APHA, including developing new research areas, applications and methodologies.
Undertake a range of laboratory-based phenotypic and genomic workflows, including microbial susceptibility testing, DNA extraction from isolate and metagenomic samples, and preparation of samples for short- and long-read sequencing.
Lead scientific research using next generation sequencing and bioinformatics approaches to characterize antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within livestock and the farm environment.
Apply bioinformatics tools to investigate AMR and virulence genes, their genetic context and association with mobile genetic elements, as well as conducting comparative genomic, pan-genome and phylogenetic analyses of large microbial datasets (~1000 isolates).
You are likely to have project or work package management responsibilities and will be required to meet targets for delivery of work, project milestones, and publications. They will be required to liaise closely with line managers/project leaders to help meet these deadlines.
Lead dissemination of research results through peer-reviewed scientific publications and presentations.
Develop and manage junior scientists, especially in technical aspects, as part of a matrix management system to enable delivery of project work, and undertaking advisory, training, and reporting duties associated with line management of staff and students (e.g. MSc and PhD), with potential to assume formal line management responsibilities as required.
Liaise/collaborate with researchers within the agency and at external organisations, nationally and internationally (e.g. collaborating institutes, Public Sector Research Establishments and Universities).
You will help maintain a safe working environment and implementing safety regulations and quality systems within the laboratory including maintenance of ISO9001:2015
Contribute to ideas and in drafting of concept notes, research, and other proposals.
You will liaise with co-workers to ensure maintenance of an emergency response capability for molecular characterisation of isolates from a wide range of animals including livestock, found in different environments (e.g. farm premises and hatcheries).

Apply for this job

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.