Research Assistant position in Microbial characterization using in silico approaches
Date of Advertising: 19.06.2026
Research Assistant position in Microbial characterization using in silico approaches
School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin (City Campus)
The School of Food Science and Environmental Health, TU Dublin currently has a position available for a Research Assistant Type A in microbial characterization using in silico approaches. The Research Assistant will join the EFSA project on “Machine LearningDriven Risk Ranking Framework for Virulence & Resistance Traits: An E. coli Case Study”. The project aims to integrate bioinformatic tools for the characterization of bacterial strains (i.e. identification of ARGs, virulence factors), further by assigning scores (ranks) to bacterial isolates, according to the combination of relevant genetic traits and based on multicriteria decision analysis.
Job Description
The School is seeking to appoint a Research Assistant Type A in Microbial Characterization on a fixed term (10 months) specified purpose basis. The post holder will contribute to the development of a framework for improving the exploitation of WGS data while working closely, as part of the research team, in terms of recording, analyzing and writing up results.
Principal Accountabilities
• Contribute to the research design and present findings in relation to the project
• Review and curate genes linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence, and biofilm formation in Escherichia coli
• Contribute to the development of a curated WGS dataset and its bioinformatics analysis
• Contribute to the development of a risk-ranking system that assigns a risk score to bacterial isolates based on their WGS-predicted genetic traits
• Contribute to the dissemination activities, including scientific publications, presentations and engagement with partners from other Member States in the perspective of EFSA Strategy 2027
• Support the preparation and drafting of project deliverables, reports and other technical documentation
• Manage time effectively in relation to the research project and carry out any other duties within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the PI
• Actively comply with all TU Dublin policies and regulations, including those in relation to Research Ethics and Health and Safety
Person Specification
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the appropriate mix of knowledge, experience, skills, talent and abilities as outlined below: Knowledge Date of Advertising: 19.06.2026
• An undergraduate B.Sc. (Hons) (NFQ level 8) in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Safety, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or equivalent award by an approved degree-awarding authority. (essential)
• Evidence of familiarity with the subject matter and willingness to be/remain contemporaneous with the subject matter. (essential)
• Demonstrated ability to produce technical reports, scientific publications, or equivalent outputs. (essential)
• Experience working as part of a team or contributing to applied research projects (essential)
The successful candidate should have appropriate report writing skills, basic statistics, bioinformatics and possess computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, R studio).
Experience
The project is based in the Sustainability and Health Research Hub, Grangegorman. It is desirable that the successful candidate will have:
• Experience reviewing research information to identify key genetic determinants of AMR, virulence, and other determinants in E. coli. (desirable)
• Experience utilizing High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters to process and analyze large-scale genomics data (desirable)
• Experience managing large datasets using Linux command-line tools, Bash scripting, and data management best practices. (desirable) • Strong communication skills with ability to present technical information to diverse audiences. (desirable)
Skills, talents & abilities
• The successful candidate will be highly skilled and motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. • Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, time management and ability to undertake duties assigned and meet deadlines required.
Salary
• The successful candidate will be appointed at Point (01) of the Research Assistant Type A salary scale i.e. €33,791 gross per annum. (Position is for 10 months)