A Research Associate position is available in the Social Fluids Lab, led by Dr. Adria LeBoeuf, in the Department of Zoology. The post is funded by a new 3-year international Human Frontier Science Program award investigating Socially Transferred Materials: the milks, seminal fluids, eggs, regurgitates, mucus and secretions that animals have repeatedly and convergently evolved to transfer between bodies to manipulate or support a recipient's physiology, fertility or behaviour. Despite their ecological importance and applied potential, the molecular mechanisms underlying STM function across evolutionarily distant lineages remain poorly understood. The project, joint between University of Cambridge, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Costa Rica, combines phyloproteomics, mass-spectrometry imaging and functional bioassays across arthropods, molluscs and chordates to uncover both universal design principles of STMs and lineage-specific variants.
The principal aim of this post is to lead the comparative and evolutionary bioinformatic work at the heart of the project. The approach builds on the LeBoeuf group's set-based phyloproteomic pipeline (Matte et al. bioRxiv 2025), which merges deep orthology inference with proteomic data to track molecular evolutionary shifts (convergent co-option, positive selection, duplication, loss and abundance change) within a physiological compartment. The successful candidate will use diverse proteomic datasets of STMs to identify STM proteins repeatedly co-opted across distant metazoan lineages, and generate the candidates that the wider team will test experimentally. There will also be opportunities to contribute to field sampling and to targeted wet-lab work, supported by the group's research technician. The project will involve a lot of international collaboration and travel to acquire samples from diverse organisms.
A strong quantitative and computational background is essential: extensive experience in bioinformatics and scientific programming (R and/or Python), together with a solid experience in evolutionary biology and comparative phylogenetic methods. Experience working with proteomic and/or genomic datasets is essential, as is a willingness to take part in occasional field sampling and supported laboratory work. Prior hands-on experience of fieldwork, wet-lab or the generation of proteomic/genomic data, and any experience working with arthropods, would be advantageous.
The successful candidate will join the group in Cambridge and become part of a new, multidisciplinary international team alongside two further postdoctoral researchers who will meet regularly online and in person, one hosted in Prof. Joris Koene's group at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and one in Dr. Jenny Stynoski's group at the University of Costa Rica. Close teamwork and a collaborative spirit are essential, and candidates will also be expected to demonstrate scientific independence matching their technical expertise. The role carries responsibility for compliance and permits associated with international sampling, and offers opportunities to help supervise students, contribute to project management, and publish both in large multi-author cross-system analyses and in smaller, focused papers.
The nature of this role requires the successful candidate to work on site for their day-to-day duties. The primary exceptions are travel associated with fieldwork, research collaborations, conferences, and other approved activities related to the role.
For more information, please refer to the Further Particulars document.
Deadline for applications is September 7th. Online interviews are expected to be held in early October (subject to change).
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for up to 12 months.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.
Part-time working or other flexible working arrangements will be considered.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to: Dr Adria LeBoeuf [email: [email protected]]
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Zoology HR Office [email: [email protected]]
Please quote reference PF50611 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
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