Ref Number
B04-07572
Professional Expertise
Research and Research Support
Department
UCL BEAMS (B04)
Location
London
Working Pattern
Full time
Salary
£43,981-£52,586
Contract Type
Fixed-term
Working Type
On site
Available for Secondment
No
Closing Date
31-Aug-2026
UCL is one of the world's top universities based in the heart of London. It is a modern, outward-looking institution. UCL's staff and former students have included 33 Nobel prizewinners. It is a truly international community: more than one-third of our student body – more than 50,000 strong – come from 150 countries and nearly one-third of staff are from outside the UK.
The post will sit within Dr Maxim Molodtsov’s research team at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute, which develops advanced instrumentation and biological approaches to understand how mechanical forces regulate cellular organisation in health and disease. The group’s work bridges cell biology, biophysics, mechanobiology, microscopy, and translational technology development, with a particular focus on measuring and manipulating forces inside living cells, tissues and organoids. Our main achievements include understanding how mechanical forces are generated by single molecules that organize cell genomes and mitotic spindles. We are also actively collaborating with other groups uncovering how mechanical forces generated by cells integrate to form tissues.
The main purpose of the role is to support the development, validation and translation of the magneto-mechanical profiling system for biological applications in both living cells and multicellular systems, including tissues and organoids. The postholder will help establish robust experimental workflows that use electromagnetic tweezers to apply and measure mechanical forces on functionalised magnetic micro- and nanoparticles at intracellular, cellular and tissue scales. The role will contribute to demonstrating how the platform can address fundamental questions in cell and tissue mechanics while also generating reproducible, user-accessible assays suitable for a pre-commercial prototype.
The postholder will be accountable for delivering high-quality experimental outputs. This will include developing and validating biological use cases, working with internal and external collaborators, producing well-documented protocols and data, and contributing to the evidence base required to position the technology for adoption by academic and industrial users. The role will strengthen the team’s capacity to translate mechanobiology instrumentation from a specialist research prototype into a broadly usable platform for intracellular force manipulation, organoid mechanics, disease modelling, drug discovery and related biomedical applications.
This role is available for 2 years in the first instance.
If you have any informal queries about the role, please contact Dr Maxim Molodtsov on [email protected]
The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible.
You will have a PhD, in cell biology, biophysics, mechanobiology, bioengineering, biomedical sciences, physics, or a closely related discipline. You should have a strong interest in understanding how mechanical forces regulate cellular and tissue organisation and be motivated to work at the interface of fundamental biology, advanced instrumentation and translational technology development. You will have practical experience in mammalian cell culture, including experience with diverse cell types such as cancer cell lines, primary cells, or stem cell-derived systems. You will have experience with at least three of the following: live-cell imaging, microscopy, quantitative image analysis, cell culture, organoids, tissue models, molecular biology, biophysics or force-measurement, in vitro assay development, protein labelling or functionalisation and antibody or nanobody staining.
You will be a careful, creative and collaborative researcher who can design and troubleshoot experiments, analyse complex biological or biophysical data, and communicate findings clearly to colleagues from different disciplinary backgrounds. You should be enthusiastic about developing robust biological applications for new technology, including both intracellular assays and applications in tissues or organoids, and willing to contribute to a project with clear translational and commercial goals. Experience working in an industrial research environment such as a contract research organisation (CRO), pharmaceutical company, or biotech organisation is a plus, as is a genuine interest in spin-out development and the potential for this technology to benefit patients.
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:
- 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
- Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
- Discounted medical insurance
Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.
We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL’s workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and – for Grade 9 and 10 roles – women.”
Read more: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Applicants should also familiarise themselves with UCL’s policies on: Prevention of Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Personal Relationships Policy
