King's College London

About Us

The Frost Lab investigates the role of mobile genetic sequences, known as transposable elements, in the biology of the placenta. We are based in the Medical and Molecular Genetics Dept at King’s College London, in the Tower Wing of Guy’s Hospital, in London Bridge. We are an enthusiastic and friendly team, with links across London and the UK in the transposon, epigenetics and placental biology fields, and the successful candidate will be embedded in a supportive and collaborative environment. 

About the role

We are looking for a motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in computational biology and genetics. The successful candidate will apply a range of approaches to analyse, integrate and interpret large-scale public and in-house-generated genetic and epigenetic datasets to investigate the role of transposable elements in placental development and pregnancy.

Applicants should hold (or be near completion of) a PhD in computer science, systems biology or related discipline, or a PhD in biological sciences but with strong programming skills. The candidate should have the ability to independently drive a multifaceted project, as well as work collaboratively within a team. Experience analysing large-scale datasets and a good understanding of statistical and quantitative methods are all advantageous. Applicants should also have a keen interest in the regulation of gene expression, evolution, and the molecular basis of human disease; excellent organisation and communication skills, with the ability to write for scientific publication.

The post-holder is expected to independently manage and execute day to day computational research, with specific aims and approaches discussed with the PI. Overarching aims will be to identify genetic and epigenetic signatures of repeat sequences in normal and abnormal placental tissue in humans and other primates, using the wealth of previously published information, including genetic data and metadata from large biobanks as well as smaller scale studies.

The role will include involvement in individual and collaborative research projects, with opportunities to both write up the research for publication and develop external funding proposals, as well as present your research at conferences. The integration of cutting-edge advances in the field into your work, as well as exceptional organisation of files, scripts and datasets will both be important, as well as supporting other researchers in the team.

This is a full-time, in-person post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 3 years.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD qualified in computer science, systems biology or related discipline, or a PhD in biological sciences but with strong programming skills *
2. A strong track record in a key area of research such as computational biology, computational method development, statistical genetics, epigenetic regulation, evolutionary biology, cell biology, development, or the genetic basis of human disease
3. Demonstrable programming skills
4. Strong communication skills, both in writing and for oral presentation
5. Capacity to work as part of a team and supervise more junior colleagues
6. Ability to lead the preparation of manuscripts for publication and communicate the outcomes of projects to researchers from a broad range of disciplines
7. Enthusiasm for the research being carried out in the lab
8. Evidence of excellent organisation and record keeping (e.g. use of GitHub, depositions in GEO), with attention to reproducible workflows and accessibility to others

Desirable criteria

1. Previous experience analysing ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq and CUT&RUN/CUT&Tag-seq datasets
2. Computational genomic analysis skills or experience with GWAS / programming evidence in multiple languages
3. Experience in giving poster or oral presentations
4. Evidence of good ‘citizenship’ – experience in supervising undergraduate or graduate researchers, conducting peer review or relevant outreach activities
5. Ability to independently drive a project, including planning, decision-making and creative problem solving

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further Information

At King’s, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative, are great strengths of the university.

The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.

We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.

When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King’s guidance.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, and we recognise its growing role in professional work. Applicants may use AI tools to support preparation of their application, for example to research the role or structure written responses. However, applications must reflect the applicant’s own work and experience. AI tools should not be used during interviews or assessment activities unless this has been agreed in advance as a reasonable adjustment. Further guidance on the use of AI in recruitment can be found  here.

We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.

We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘ How we Recruit’ pages.

Interviews are due to be held in June 2026

This post is subject to Occupational Health clearances.