Project Officer (Microbiology)

Terms: Fixed-term contract for 9 months, Full-time post Closing Date: 31 January, 2024 - 12:00 noon Flexible working patterns will be considered. The successful candidate will be required to travel to the University of Strathclyde initially for training (approximately 1 week in the first two months) followed by some other attendance at the UofS. However, this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that attendance in the office will be required. Change your career, change lives The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. The Faculty of STEM consists of 2500 staff including 1,800 Associate Lecturers. The Faculty delivers over 185 modules across undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum, supporting nearly 19,000 students (full time equivalents) which is 29% of the OU total. The Faculty generates more research income (circa £17M) than any other Faculty in the University, supported by a comprehensive laboratory infrastructure. We are proud of our distinctive values and capabilities underpinning our aspiration. We are an inclusive institution. The role The Open University is recruiting for a Project Officer. In their role, the post-holder will contribute to the research objectives of the AstrobiologyOU research team and the OSC project Extremophiles Against Antibiotic Resistance. This includes, mining metagenomic datasets for biosynthetic genes of interest, designing and ordering synthesised biosynthetic genes into vectors, growing chassis microbes and the ESKAPE pathogens, screening for antimicrobial activity, analysis of results, data interpretation, and contribution to research projects by identifying and implementing innovative experimental techniques.  Skills and experience Master's degree or equivalent in microbiology or molecular biology. A record of research and/or knowledge exchange that is commensurate to the position. Cultivation of microbes and bioinformatics experience. Proven project management ability, handling multiple projects efficiently. More information can be provided via a link to the Job Description. If you would like to discuss the application or recruitment process before making an application, please contact Emma Jones at Resourcing Hub on 01908 655544 or resourcing-hub@open.ac.uk quoting the reference VRF 21407. What you get in return  We have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and beyond your current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation and regular reviews of your training and development needs. We also offer a great range of benefits that support our employees and their families for the long term. Staff Benefits include an attractive pension proposition and 33 days holiday per annum pro rata, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure days.