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Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Data Science for Diet, Gut Microbiome and Mental Health Quadram Institute Bioscience in United Kingdom
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full-time salaried postdoctoral research position paying £39,000–£46,500 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. A starting salary of £40,100 is guaranteed for candidates who can evidence their PhD certificate at appointment; candidates awaiting confirmation of their PhD award will be appointed at £39,000 until evidence is provided. The contract runs until 30 August 2028, with potential for a further 18-month extension depending on funding.
Deadline
Nov 17, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
Quadram Institute Bioscience
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About this position
The Quadram Institute is recruiting a postdoctoral research scientist in data science to work across the Hildebrand and Traka groups in Norwich, United Kingdom. The project examines how diet, lifestyle, the gut microbiome and mental wellbeing interact, using standardised large-scale cohort data from more than 20 European cohorts.
The researcher will integrate dietary intake, metagenomic, metabolomic and mental-health datasets to identify reproducible relationships across data layers. The work will include harmonising heterogeneous datasets, developing reproducible statistical workflows for longitudinal and multi-omics data, applying causal-inference methods to investigate the role of gut microbiomes, and using validated machine-learning models to build robust health predictions across cohorts.
Building on previous research from the group, the project will investigate microbial communities associated with specific foods and identify bacterial strains and genes linked to diet–microbiome–mental-health relationships. These analyses will help reveal candidate mechanisms and inform future personalised approaches to supporting mental wellbeing.
The role also contributes to the FlavourFerm project, which analyses microbial communities involved in food fermentation and subsequent gastrointestinal digestion. The postdoctoral researcher will collaborate with researchers across Europe and participate in consortium workshops, meetings and related international activities, with international travel forming an integral part of the position.
Prof Falk Hildebrand contributes expertise in high-resolution metagenomics, microbial ecology and custom bioinformatic software, while Dr Maria Traka leads the UK Food & Nutrition National Bioscience Research Infrastructure and researches data-driven food and nutrition. The researcher will join an interdisciplinary environment at the Quadram Institute, a partnership involving Quadram Institute Bioscience, the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and BBSRC at Norwich Research Park.
Funding details
Full-time salaried postdoctoral research position paying £39,000–£46,500 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. A starting salary of £40,100 is guaranteed for candidates who can evidence their PhD certificate at appointment; candidates awaiting confirmation of their PhD award will be appointed at £39,000 until evidence is provided. The contract runs until 30 August 2028, with potential for a further 18-month extension depending on funding.
What's required
Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent in bioinformatics or a related subject. Experience with microbiome data analysis, numerical ecology, neuroscience, machine learning, statistical modelling, mediation analysis or metabolomics is advantageous. Programming skills in R, Python or a comparable language are important. Applicants may have different combinations of these skills; specialised methods and project-specific expertise will be developed through mentorship, training and collaboration.
How to apply
Apply through the Quadram Institute/National Bioscience Research Infrastructure HR website using vacancy reference 1006222. For questions about the application or visa options, contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or 01603 450814.
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Prepare your application
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