Jobs

PhD students

If you are interested in doing a PhD, please get in touch with Liam over email with a brief description of your background and research interests before applying formally. There are several schemes at Bristol but the earliest possible date to start would be September 2027.

Postdocs and fellowships

We will soon be advertising for a computational postdoc to work on plasmid evolution:

Background: We are seeking an exceptional computational researcher to work on open problems in plasmid evolution. The field of defence systems has rapidly become one of the most exciting areas of biology, but most work has focused on their effects against phage – plasmids have been neglected.

The role: You’ll analyse plasmids and defence systems in combination to address key questions in bacterial evolution, including (potentially) plasmid-host associations, how gene function relates to genomic location, and the rates at which plasmids diversify. Our initial aim is to build statistical models that relate defence systems and plasmids across bacterial diversity, using approaches from host-pathogen ecology to produce a broad-scale picture of their relationship that we can then build on. Another goal is to develop computational frameworks that quantify the evolution of plasmids undergoing genomic rearrangements. However, research can go in unexpected directions, and you’ll get the chance to shape these priorities as your work progresses. By leading on this work, you’ll be in an excellent place to build an independent academic career.

Practicalities: This role is funded for at least 3.5 years by an ERC grant (PLEIADES), meaning you’ll have time to take risks in your research and gain the skills you need to develop your own future career.

If you’re interested in coming to Bristol with an external fellowship, please get in touch so we can discuss possibilities - it would be great to hear from you.