Postdoctoral Research Fellow
| Posting date: | 09 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £36,636 to £47,389 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 30 June 2026 |
| Location: | Southampton, Hampshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | University of Southampton |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 3433626CM |
Summary
The Opportunity
We are seeking an outstanding Research Fellow to join an ambitious translational oncology programme focused on improving precision treatment approaches for patients with gastrointestinal cancers.
This funded programme brings together laboratory scientists, clinicians, and molecular researchers to develop clinically relevant approaches for understanding therapeutic response and resistance in cancer.
The post offers a rare opportunity to contribute to a highly translational initiative operating at the interface of discovery science and patient care. The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping experimental strategy, generating clinically relevant biological insights, and supporting the progression of the programme towards future clinical application.
This is not a conventional postdoctoral role centred on a predefined set of experiments. It is an opportunity to contribute to the development of an evolving translational research platform with clear real-world relevance.
The Role
The Research Fellow will contribute to the scientific and translational development of the programme, including:
developing and optimising advanced experimental cancer models
leading functional studies examining therapeutic response and resistance
integrating biological and molecular data to support translational interpretation
contributing to clinically relevant reporting and communication of findings
supporting regulatory, governance, and translational preparation activities
helping shape experimental direction in collaboration with clinical and scientific investigators
The role requires a high degree of scientific independence, critical thinking, and translational judgement.
What we are looking for
We are seeking an individual with strong experimental expertise and an interest in clinically relevant cancer research.
Essential:
PhD (or equivalent) in cancer biology or a related discipline
Strong background in experimental oncology or cellular/molecular biology
Experience developing or optimising complex biological assays or model systems
Ability to interpret multifaceted biological data critically
Excellent communication and organisational skills
Evidence of scientific writing and publication
Desirable:
Experience working with translational or clinically aligned research programmes
Familiarity with cancer therapeutics, resistance biology, or tumour modelling
Experience integrating molecular and functional datasets
Understanding of research governance, ethics, or regulatory frameworks
Experience working within multidisciplinary environments
The Environment
The successful candidate will join a collaborative multidisciplinary research environment spanning:
translational cancer biology
clinical oncology and surgery
molecular profiling and computational analysis
The programme provides access to established infrastructure, high-quality clinical material, and strong translational support across Southampton and partner clinical centres.
Why this role is different
This position offers the opportunity to work within a genuinely translational programme designed with future clinical application in mind.
You will contribute not only to experimental delivery, but also to the development of approaches capable of bridging laboratory discovery and clinical decision-making.
The role is particularly suited to candidates interested in:
translational cancer research
clinically impactful science
multidisciplinary programme development
future leadership in translational oncology
Career Development
The post provides excellent opportunities for career progression and scientific development, including exposure to:
translational programme leadership
multidisciplinary clinical–scientific collaboration
clinically aligned research strategy
future grant and fellowship development
Informal enquiries
For informal discussion of the role, please contact the Innovation for Translation Research Group leads:
Professor Zoë Walters (Z.S.Walters@soton.ac.uk)
Professor Tim Underwood (T.J.Underwood@soton.ac.uk)
As a university we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a working environment in which you are free to bring your whole self to work. With a generous holiday allowance as well as additional university closure days we are committed to supporting our staff and students and open to a flexible working approach.
This role does not qualify for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To explore alternative UK visa options, see gov.uk.
Apply by 11.59 pm UK time on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk quoting the job number.
We are seeking an outstanding Research Fellow to join an ambitious translational oncology programme focused on improving precision treatment approaches for patients with gastrointestinal cancers.
This funded programme brings together laboratory scientists, clinicians, and molecular researchers to develop clinically relevant approaches for understanding therapeutic response and resistance in cancer.
The post offers a rare opportunity to contribute to a highly translational initiative operating at the interface of discovery science and patient care. The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping experimental strategy, generating clinically relevant biological insights, and supporting the progression of the programme towards future clinical application.
This is not a conventional postdoctoral role centred on a predefined set of experiments. It is an opportunity to contribute to the development of an evolving translational research platform with clear real-world relevance.
The Role
The Research Fellow will contribute to the scientific and translational development of the programme, including:
developing and optimising advanced experimental cancer models
leading functional studies examining therapeutic response and resistance
integrating biological and molecular data to support translational interpretation
contributing to clinically relevant reporting and communication of findings
supporting regulatory, governance, and translational preparation activities
helping shape experimental direction in collaboration with clinical and scientific investigators
The role requires a high degree of scientific independence, critical thinking, and translational judgement.
What we are looking for
We are seeking an individual with strong experimental expertise and an interest in clinically relevant cancer research.
Essential:
PhD (or equivalent) in cancer biology or a related discipline
Strong background in experimental oncology or cellular/molecular biology
Experience developing or optimising complex biological assays or model systems
Ability to interpret multifaceted biological data critically
Excellent communication and organisational skills
Evidence of scientific writing and publication
Desirable:
Experience working with translational or clinically aligned research programmes
Familiarity with cancer therapeutics, resistance biology, or tumour modelling
Experience integrating molecular and functional datasets
Understanding of research governance, ethics, or regulatory frameworks
Experience working within multidisciplinary environments
The Environment
The successful candidate will join a collaborative multidisciplinary research environment spanning:
translational cancer biology
clinical oncology and surgery
molecular profiling and computational analysis
The programme provides access to established infrastructure, high-quality clinical material, and strong translational support across Southampton and partner clinical centres.
Why this role is different
This position offers the opportunity to work within a genuinely translational programme designed with future clinical application in mind.
You will contribute not only to experimental delivery, but also to the development of approaches capable of bridging laboratory discovery and clinical decision-making.
The role is particularly suited to candidates interested in:
translational cancer research
clinically impactful science
multidisciplinary programme development
future leadership in translational oncology
Career Development
The post provides excellent opportunities for career progression and scientific development, including exposure to:
translational programme leadership
multidisciplinary clinical–scientific collaboration
clinically aligned research strategy
future grant and fellowship development
Informal enquiries
For informal discussion of the role, please contact the Innovation for Translation Research Group leads:
Professor Zoë Walters (Z.S.Walters@soton.ac.uk)
Professor Tim Underwood (T.J.Underwood@soton.ac.uk)
As a university we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a working environment in which you are free to bring your whole self to work. With a generous holiday allowance as well as additional university closure days we are committed to supporting our staff and students and open to a flexible working approach.
This role does not qualify for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To explore alternative UK visa options, see gov.uk.
Apply by 11.59 pm UK time on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk quoting the job number.
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Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.