Associate Scientist; Pooled Lentiviral Editing Screening

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented associate scientist to join our team and lead cutting-edge research investigating the therapeutic potential of intrinsically disordered regions. The project will leverage pooled lentiviral screening pipelines of peptide inhibitors to systematically perturb key molecular interactions. This is an exciting opportunity to apply innovative high-throughput screening technologies to reveal new regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

The successful candidates will play a central role in developing and implementing advanced lentiviral-based screening platforms across diverse biological systems, working at the interface of molecular biology, genomics, and translational discovery.

e Children's Research Hospital, we know what can be achieved when the brightest scientific minds face the fewest barriers. That's why we provide world‑class facilities. State‑of‑the‑art technologies. Extraordinary support. And a collaborative, bench‑to‑bedside environment where you can see, firsthand, how your science translates into survival for the children we serve. Quite simply, e, we encourage you to dream big and stop at nothing when it comes to finding cures and saving children.

• Design, optimize, and execute pooled lentiviral screening workflows for large-scale peptide inhibitor characterization
• Collaborate closely with bioinformaticians and project investigators to ensure robust experimental design, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Support the development of innovative experimental strategies to expand and enhance existing screening capabilities.
• Contribute to collaborative research outputs, including publications and conference presentations.

• PhD (or equivalent experience) in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in the design, production, and application of lentiviral vectors for genetic manipulation and screening.
• Proven track record in developing, implementing, or applying high-throughput genetic perturbation or functional screening approaches.
• Excellent organisational, communication, and record-keeping skills.
• Strong problem-solving ability and capacity to work independently as well as collaboratively.

• Extensive expertise in the design, production, and application of lentiviral libraries for large-scale screening.
• Familiarity with large-scale data generation and interpretation in screening contexts.
• Proven expertise in the design and execution of assays to characterise protein-protein interactions.
• Evidence of contributions to collaborative research initiatives or consortia.

The Davey lab has recently joined the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology to launch a research program applying high-throughput screening approaches to uncover the therapeutic potential of intrinsically disordered regions. The post-holder will work within a collaborative, supportive team and benefit from world‑class core facilities and excellent opportunities for professional development.

Target discovery is a critical foundation of drug development, underpinning efforts to overcome the persistent challenges of drug resistance, emerging pathogens, and complex diseases that lack effective therapies. By uncovering novel proteins and molecular pathways driving disease progression, we can enable the rational design of more selective interventions that reduce off‑target effects and improve patient outcomes. The development of tool molecules, coupled with detailed characterization of their inhibitory mechanisms, provides a direct bridge between phenotypic observations and small‑molecule drug design, accelerating the translation of basic discoveries into clinically actionable therapies.

Short Linear Motifs (SLiMs) are compact functional modules embedded within the intrinsically disordered regions of proteins. They mediate a wide range of regulatory processes, including the assembly of dynamic complexes, recruitment of modifying enzymes, control of protein…