Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Zuercher Lab) Generative Biology Institute

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) were on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists technologists engineers researchers educators and innovators to tackle humanitys 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 youll 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.

Welcome to the Generative Biology Institute:

Led by Founding Director Jason Chin the Generative Biology Institute (GBI) at the Ellison Institute of Technology is tackling the key challenges in making biology engineerable and thereby unlocking the unrivalled power of biology for the benefit of humanity.

The vision of the GBI is to lay the foundations for engineering biology and unlock its potential for good. To achieve this we must overcome two key challenges. First we need the ability to write in the natural language of biology enabling the rapid and scalable synthesis of entire genomes with precision. Second we must understand what to write - determining which DNA sequences will generate biological systems that perform the desired functions. Addressing these challenges will allow us to harness the full power of biology to create transformative solutions across health agriculture clean energy and more.

The Generative Biology Institute commenced operations in 2025 occupying newly renovated bespoke space in the Oxford Science Park. The team will later move to a purpose-made facility in the Oxford Science Park currently under construction. Once complete this state-of-the-art facility will include more than 40000 m² of research laboratory and office space. It will house over 30 groups and up to 600 employees at scale focused on solving the two critical challenges in making biology engineerable and applying the solutions to addressing the global challenges encapsulated in EITs Humane Endeavours.

The Zuercher Lab

We are seeking ambitious creative and highly skilled Postdoctoral Researchers to join the Zuercher Lab at GBI. The Zuercher Lab led by Principal Investigator Jerome Zuercher focuses on two interconnected areas with many projects involving aspects of both topics (Genome synthesis and Genetic Isolation).

Genetic Isolation

A direct consequence of the universality of the genetic code is the possibility for genetic information to be transferred between evolutionarily distant species. Such horizontal transfer of genetic information (as opposed to vertical genetic transfer where information is passed on from an organism to its progeny) is common in nature and has shaped evolution over billions of the context of genetic engineering however this type of genetic spillover ishighly concerning. Prevention of interference of artificial genetic information with natural biology is critical to allow biotechnological progress to be both safe and ambitious.

Furthermore biotechnology will playa central rolein addressing pressing challenges in food security pharmaceutical development sustainable fuel sources and efficient carbon fixation. Thus essential parts of the economy will increasingly rely on bioproduction facilities harbouring tailor-made microbes. It is therefore critical that such facilities are extremely reliable. However due to the universality of the genetic code engineered organisms are just as susceptible to viral invasion as natural fact a single viral particle that finds its way into a bioproduction facility can force its operational shutdown.

Altering the genetic code of a cellprovidesan opportunity torendernatural and synthetic genetic information incompatible. This breakthrough offers a means to protect the environment from genetically engineered organisms and vice versa engineered organisms critical for bioproduction from viral invasion. Through concertedefforts in genome recoding and translational engineering it was possible to create the first organism with a synthetic genetic code. Since this organism speaks a different language than organisms found in nature it is genetically isolated; it can neither give nor receive genetic information from the environment.

The lab continues the development of altered genetic codes to increase the safety of biotechnology and aims to rewrite even the most complex biological systems in alternative synthetic genetic codes.

Genome synthesis

Our ability to write DNA has recently expanded to the genomic scale. The possibility of defining every single base in the genome of a cell enables manipulation of the most fundamental cellular properties such as the genetic code.

However current genome synthesis methods are slow narrow in scope and limited in scale. To date the genomes of only two bacteria have been successfully synthesized. This project aims to develop methodologies to make the synthesis of model organism genomes (i.e.E. coli) more rapid and enable the synthesis of the genomes of non-model bacteria to broaden the scope of genome synthesis.

The ability to routinely synthesize the genomes of a diverse set of organisms will not only allow reprogramming of the genetic code but alsofacilitate testing of generative genome the combination of microbial genomesynthesis and artificial intelligence will enable biological design at the organism scale with implications in bioproduction human health agriculture and beyond.

Learn more at

How to Apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling your cover letter please clearly explain your fit interest and relevant experience for joining the group.

All applications must be submitted exclusively though the EIT job portal. If you would like to discuss this role in more detail prior to submitting an application please contact Jerome Zuercher at . Due to the volume of applications the review and decision process may take 36 months.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design execute and troubleshoot experiments including the development of novel methodologies and adaptation of existing techniques to new applications.
• Analyse complex datasets using computational and statistical tools interpreting results in the context of broader research goals.
• Contribute intellectually to the research direction by identifying opportunities for innovation and refining research questions.
• Prepare and publish high-quality scientific papers reports presentations and protocols.
• Present research at national and international conferences seminars and internal meetings.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams within GBI EIT and external partners to advance complementary workstreams.
• Build and maintain research infrastructure laboratory capabilities and cutting-edge technologies.
• Mentor and support junior researchers including PhD students and research assistants.
• Translate research findings into commercial or translational opportunities in alignment with EITs mission.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for intellectual property generation and protection.
• Ensure research activities comply with EITs policies legal requirements and best scientific practice.

This list is not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to undertake additional tasks and duties commensurate with the role.

Essential and Desirable Knowledge Skills and Experience:

• Completed a PhD in a relevant field (e.g. synthetic biology computational biology and AI microbial plant and human cell biology genomics robotics and automation and nucleic acids chemistry.).
• Track record of delivering ambitious research projects to a high standard.
• Strong track record in research ideally in molecular biology synthetic biology or related fields.
• Skilled in data analysis and interpretation; experience with genomic analysis automation or computational tools desirable.
• Proven ability to work independently think creatively and solve complex experimental problems.
• Experience publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at international conferences.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience collaborating 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.

Our Benefits:

• Salary: Competitive travel allowance bonus
• Enhanced holiday pay
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electric Car Scheme

Working Together What It Involves:

• You must be eligible to work in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. We are open to sponsoring employment visas for this role; however sponsorship is not available for all visa types or in all circumstances. Eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

• You must be based in or within easy commuting distance of Oxford (or be willing to relocate).
• During peak periods some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.
• Our Postdoc roles are set up as 4 year fixed term contracts