Science Lead Role Information

The Rosalind Franklin Institute (RFI), a new national research centre at the interface between the engineering, physical, and life sciences, is seeking three experienced and dynamic research leaders to deliver the Institute’s thematic research programmes.

Able to see the bigger picture, build effective partnerships, and engage with colleagues from academia, industry and other end users, you will shape the RFI’s major technology goals, develop the detailed case for equipment investment in each theme area and deliver these central facilities for your theme.

Alongside the Institute Director and Science Leads for other thematic areas you will help to lay the foundations for the long-term success of this £100m UK Government investment.

We are seeking science leaders in:

• Biological Mass Spectrometry
• Imaging with Sound and Light
• Next Generation Chemistry for Medicine

Formally announced by the UK Government in Feb 2017, as part of its Industrial Strategy, the Rosalind Franklin Institute has been created as an independent institute to develop/accelerate the application of disruptive technologies and next-generation physical science methods that will underpin future advances in the life sciences.

The RFI will operate on a ‘hub and spokes basis’: a purpose-built facility on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, in Oxfordshire, close to the Diamond synchrotron and other national science infrastructure; and satellite activity (facilities access and research) at leading universities across the UK. It will act as a focal point for collaboration between academia and industry, and between different disciplines; and as a national centre of excellence for the development and integration of breakthrough technologies.

The Institute is designed to promote long-term value creation and societal benefit. Impacts will arise through both direct (technology) outputs from the RFI itself, and the third-party application of RFI outputs. The business case identifies five initial overlapping technology focus areas which include new strategies and chemical tools for drug discovery, and a range of multi-modal imaging and analytical platforms.

Thematic areas:

• Correlated Imaging
• Biological Mass Spectrometry
• Imaging with Sound and Light
• Next Generation Chemistry for medicine
• Structural biology

These will evolve over time in response to new opportunities or user needs, and the pace of technical progress. Detailed R&D programmes, the precise balance of funding between each area, and the distribution of investment across Hub and Spokes will be determined by the Institute Director and the Science Leads, and approved by the Board of Trustees.

The RFI business case was developed by a consortium of ten leading universities and the Science and technology facilities Council (STFC). The lead delivery partner for this investment is the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Alongside the core government grant (which will reduce over time), the RFI’s business model is based on co-locating (fully-funded) industry R&D staff at the hub, and on the resident researchers, led by the Science Leads, securing competitive grant income.

Strategic priorities of the Rosalind Franklin Institute

• Drive convergence of physical sciences, engineering and life sciences in the UK and foster ‘many-to-many’ links across academia and industry, acting as a national focal point;
• Optimise the effectiveness of existing government investment in science infrastructure;
• Develop (disruptive) new techniques and instrumentation to address known challenges and rate-limiting steps in the life sciences sector;
• Exploit opportunities offered by emerging physical science techniques by accelerating their application in the academic and industrial life and medical sciences;
• Become a global Centre of Excellence for technology development and innovation, seed a new life sciences cluster, and enhance the UK skills base;
• Support economic growth (regionally and nationally) and value creation.

The RFI has been established as an independent institute and the five science leads need to build on the work done by the Interim Theme Leads and further develop detailed programmes of R&D activity.

The Institute Director will lead on the Structural Biology Theme – we are looking for Science Leads in the areas of; Biological Mass Spectrometry, Imaging with Sound and Light, Next Generation Chemistry for medicine.

Reporting to the Institute Director, and working with colleagues from the partner HEIs, industry, and other end users, and with officials from UKRI, you will:

• Engage with the academic community, relevant industry partners, and other end users.
• Identify Grand Challenges and key technology development goals within your theme area that are consistent with the aims of the RFI business case.
• In line with the principle that RFI investment should add value to, not duplicate, existing UK activity; and that the Hub should focus on shared challenges and/or developments beyond the scope of a single institution:
  • Identify new/existing equipment at partner HEIs which will complement Hub capabilities.
  • Develop the case for equipment investments for your theme.
  • Deliver these equipment investments to create a core technology platform for your theme as central facilities in the new Hub building at Harwell
  • Inform the design of the Hub building – identifying exemplar facilities elsewhere and the likely scale of provision required at Harwell.
• Encourage and broker the development of (collaborative) research proposals to external funders, that will address the identified challenges and technology goals.
• Monitor progress and coordinate relevant reporting to the RFI Board, funders and government.
• Act as an advocate for/the public face of this strand of RFI activity, as necessary.
• Any other theme-specific activity as may reasonably be requested by the Interim Academic Lead or the permanent RFI Director.

Essential

• Must possess a suitable academic qualification – a relevant PhD and subsequent experience, likely to a professorial or equivalent level
• Strong track record of research in a relevant field, and experience of establishing or leading a large-scale research initiative (ideally one involving multiple stakeholders or partners)
• An established scientific reputation, such that you can command the respect and confidence of the wider research community
• Excellent relationship building skills
• Able to balance personal (scientific and institutional) interests with the RFI’s broader national function
• A clear understanding of the benefits of collaborative R&D (between disciplines, between HEIs, and with industry)
• Able to take a long-term view; but also to translate long-term goals into a series of intermediate milestones and objectives
• Able to think “outside the box”, and to identify ways in which engineering and physical sciences solutions can address problems in other fields, including entirely new application areas
• Experience of developing and leading successful teams

Desirable

• Experience of ‘gateway’ review processes for instrument development or other long-term projects
• Experience of realising impact from engineering and physical sciences research in other fields
• Experience of building diverse teams, and an understanding of best practice in diversity in STEM

Duration: 5 years, with scope for extension beyond that; decisions on any extension will be taken by the Institute Director and the Institute Board.

Location: Primarily based at the Harwell Campus, with national and international travel.

Salary package: Competitive (UK professorial, band 1/2 scale) with benefits

Time Commitment: Successful applicants will need to make a significant commitment to the Institute at Harwell. Recognising that applicants may come from a variety of backgrounds there are likely to be a number of possible modes of engagement:

• Full employment by the institute
• Secondment from an Academic Institution at a significant FTE (approx 60% +)
• Joint appointment from an Industrial Organisation at a significant FTE (approx 60% +)

Further information is available from:

Prof Jim Naismith, Interim Academic Lead

Prof Andrew Livingston, Interim Academic Lead

Interested applicants are encouraged to make contact for informal discussions prior to application. Requests for informal discussion can be made to info@rfi.ac.uk. All approaches will be treated with strict confidence.

To apply

Please send the following material to admin@rfi.ac.uk , indicating which thematic area you are applying for;

• Full CV, including publications
• A short (three page max) high level scientific plan for the theme; with a further one page identifying potential suitable funding streams
• A covering letter

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