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Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Onsite
Salary for this Role:
From £47,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience
Job Title:
Postdoctoral Fellow - Structural Biology and Cytoskeletal Remodeling - Chaaban LabReports to:
Sami Chaaban [C]Closing Date:
15/Nov/2026 23.59 GMTJob Description:
Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow – Chaaban lab
Details of the role:
Reporting to: Sami Chaaban, Group Leader
Working pattern: This is a full-time, fixed-term (4 years) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment
Salary: From £47,500 per annum with benefits, subject to skills and experience.
Application closing date: 15th of November 2026 at 23:59
About us
The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.
The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.
The Research Group
We are seeking a curious and motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Cytoskeletal Coordination Laboratory, opening in January 2027 at the Francis Crick Institute.
Our lab investigates how molecular machines build, remodel and dismantle the cytoskeleton. We are particularly interested in how these activities are coordinated during cell division, when cells must reorganise their internal architecture and ultimately separate into two daughter cells. We combine biochemistry, structural biology and quantitative microscopy to connect molecular organisation with biological function.
As an early member of the lab, you will have the opportunity to shape the research programme, establish experimental approaches and contribute to an open and supportive research environment. You will work closely with Sami while developing your own ideas and scientific independence, supported by the Crick’s scientific platforms and research community.
Further information: https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/sami-chaaban
About the role
The successful candidate will investigate how protein machines remodel microtubules. The project will address two linked questions: how these complexes assemble and engage microtubules to couple chemical energy to structural changes, and how interactions with partner proteins regulate their activity.
Cryo-electron microscopy will be a major component of the project, alongside reconstitution with purified proteins and fluorescence microscopy. By determining structures of complexes in different functional states and testing the resulting predictions experimentally, you will help explain how molecular interactions drive microtubule remodelling. There will be scope to develop complementary approaches and connect these mechanisms to their functions in cells.
We encourage applications from researchers studying other molecular systems who can bring relevant expertise and a fresh perspective. Training will support the development of complementary skills.
What you will be doing:
Click here for full job description
About you
You will have:
Minimum criteria*
AI in our recruitment process
We welcome the responsible use of AI as a tool to support your application, but we ask that it is used to enhance your own experience, ideas and achievements, rather than replace them.
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About Working at the Crick
Our values
Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture.
At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: karen.au@crick.ac.uk
Find out more about life at the Crick.
What will you receive?
At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:
Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.
We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.
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