Careers at the ICR
We provide exceptional opportunities for the best scientists, clinicians, and professional and administrative staff, and excellent academic and recreational facilities at our two London sites, in Chelsea and Sutton.
As a world-leading research organisation, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, offers a fantastic working environment, great opportunities for career development and the chance to make a real difference for cancer patients. We aim to recruit and develop the best – with positions for outstanding scientists and clinicians, and the most talented professional or administrative staff.
Different types of positions at the ICR
Our aim is to attract the best people in cancer research. We offer an excellent working environment, competitive salaries and good staff benefits. There is a range of career paths at the ICR, in scientific research, research support, and professional and administrative positions.
We offer a variety of professional and administrative roles in areas such as facilities, fundraising, communication, IT, human resources, research services and education and library services.
Our professional services teams are tailored to meet the needs of a research organisation, and many of our employees in these teams have backgrounds in science, or experience of working with scientists and clinicians.
Our specialist finance team is experienced at dealing with research grants, and staff within our Business and Innovation Office have the expertise to negotiate complex collaborative agreements between the ICR and pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
We're recruiting the top figures in cancer research to work in a vibrant and confident culture that consistently produces world-changing research.
To become part of our career faculty, you will be an established senior researcher and have the proven leadership skills and international research credibility to direct major scientific programmes, and build and manage a motivated and high-performing scientific team.
Our culture emphasises the importance of collaborative working to address the big challenges in cancer research, and you will be expected to form part of the wider ICR team. You will also recruit and develop the research leaders of the future.
To join the ICR you’ll be a talented scientist looking for the next step after your initial postdoctoral studies. You’ll be ready to start leading a team independently under the mentorship of a leading senior scientist.
Personal fellowships, funded by a variety of medical research agencies and charities, are the usual route for new leaders to join us in areas in which we are traditionally very strong, such as cancer biology. Success as a fellow will put you on a fast-track route to gaining a long-term career at the ICR.
To join us you will have, or be in the process of gaining, a personal fellowship from one of the major national or international funding bodies, such as the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, one of the Research Councils, the Royal Society or the National Institute for Health Research.
For PhD graduates looking for a postdoctoral role. We offer a competitive salary, rigorous training, many opportunities for professional development, and an open and inclusive working culture.
We offer clinicians a variety of working opportunities, from working as a postdoctoral researcher in one of our eight scientific divisions, to carrying out independent research as a clinician scientist or clinical research fellow, to heading a specialised research team. We also offer clinicians the opportunity to develop their specialty, through a variety of taught or research-based postgraduate degrees.
Collaboration between scientists and clinicians is essential for the translational nature of the cutting-edge research carried out at the ICR. It gets new treatments to patients more quickly, and allows our researchers to learn from experience in the clinic.
Moving to the UK
We attract staff from all over the world. Find all the information you need to move to the United Kingdom to work with us.
Staff benefits
Find out more about the staff benefits we offer, including a competitive salary package, annual leave entitlements, and sports and social facilities.Some of our current vacancies
Postdoctoral Training Fellow
Under the leadership of Claudio Alfieri, we are seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Training Fellow to join the Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Cycle Regulation Group at the Chester Beatty Laboratories, Fulham Road in London. This project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle regulation by macromolecular complexes involved in cell proliferation decisions, by combining genome engineering, proteomics and in situ structural biology. For general information on Post Doc's at The ICR can be found here. Key Requirements The successful candidate must have a PhD in cellular biochemistry and experience in Cryo-EM and CLEM is desirable. The ICR has a workforce agreement stating that Postdoctoral Training Fellows can only be employed for up to 7 years as PDTF at the ICR, providing total postdoctoral experience (including previous employment at this level elsewhere) does not exceed 7 years Department/Directorate Information: The candidate will work in the Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Cycle Regulation Group within the ICR Division of Structural Biology headed by Prof. Laurence Pearl and Prof. Sebastian Guettler. The division has state-of-the-art facilities for protein expression and biophysics/x-ray crystallography, in particular the Electron Microscopy Facility is equipped with a Glacios 200kV with Falcon 4i detector with Selectris energy filter and the ICR has access to Krios microscopes via eBIC and the LonCEM consortium. We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Claudio Alfieri via Email on [email protected]
Postdoctoral Training Fellow - Computational Single Cell Biology (Dr Stephen-John Sammut)
Under the leadership of Dr Stephen-John Sammut, we are seeking a highly motivated and ambitious postdoctoral researcher to apply existing and develop cutting-edge single-cell computational methods for modelling breast tumour evolution during chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Your work will contribute to the development of predictive frameworks that can be deployed in breast clinical trials to guide treatment decisions. This role offers an outstanding opportunity to drive innovation at the interface of computational biology and clinical research, shaping the future of precision oncology. For general information on Post Doc's at The ICR can be found here. The ICR has a workforce agreement stating that there is a maximum duration of employment of 7 years including pre-ICR PDTF experience. Key Requirements The successful candidate must have a PhD in a computational biology or other numerical subject, have extensive programming experience, and possess a basic knowledge of cancer biology. A background in the analysis and interpretation of molecular data is essential. If available, please include a link to your online, publicly-available source code repository in your application. Department/Directorate Information: The Cancer Dynamics Laboratory headed by Dr Stephen John Sammut, focuses on developing computational and experimental frameworks that model changes in breast cancer biology during treatment to develop personalised precision cancer therapies. The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at the ICR is the first centre in the UK entirely devoted to breast cancer research. Our goal is to advance research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. It is located in state-of-the-art laboratory space, with excellent core facilities and is funded through a long term renewable programme grant from Breast Cancer Now. The Centre is directed by Clinician Scientist Professor Andrew Tutt. We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role.
Scientific Officer: Radiotherapy Physics Modelling
Under the guidance of Professor Uwe Oelfke, we are seeking to recruit a Scientific Officer to provide skilled laboratory assistance in pre-clinical projects in radiobiological and immunological research. The successful candidate will provide first line user training and support for our three x-ray radiation devices including performing the monthly quality assurance. They will also be expected to contribute to the design and delivery of on-going research projects. About you The successful candidate must have: A BSc. in Physics or Biomedical Sciences (or equivalent) MSc. in Physics and Engineering or Biomedical Sciences (desirable) A basic knowledge of Matlab, Python or C/C++ The ability to understand and discuss scientific projects Experience of working under pressure and adhering to established deadlines The ability to work independently whilst still being a good team player Excellent organisation skills with attention to detail Department/Directorate Information The Radiotherapy Physics Modelling Team, lead by Professor Uwe Oelfke, sits within the Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging. We are applying cutting edge Radiotherapy techniques in a multi-disciplinary setting to investigate the application of radiation in an in-vitro and in-vivo setting. The postholder will be based within the Centre for Cancer Imaging which houses 130 imaging researchers from a range of disciplines. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. To arrange an informal discussion regarding the role, please email [email protected]
Data Scientist
Under the guidance of Professor Trevor Graham, we are seeking to recruit a Data Scientist to support Data Science research across the ICR. The successful candidate will particularly work on the analysis of spatial data including multiplex immunohistochemistry, H&Es and spatial transcriptomics. About you The successful candidate must have: A PhD in quantitative subject, or likely to be awarded PhD in the near future. Research experience equivalent to PhD level will be considered. Undergraduate degree, or Masters or equivalent in a quantitative subject. Skills in bioinformatics computing coding, in languages including R, Python and other scripting languages as is appropriate. Experience of using high performance computing (HPC) systems for scientific computing. Experience of computational biology research methodologies pertinent to the role. Department/Directorate Information The Data Science Committee is chaired by Professor Trevor Graham, providing academic leadership of data science at the ICR to maximise the impact of our cancer research, by applying innovative data science and computation tools (in addition to our traditional areas of strength) to tackle the important cancer questions and ensuring infrastructure is considered to enable this. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Prof Trevor Graham [email protected].
Higher or Senior Scientific Officer
Under the guidance of Prof Trevor Graham, we are seeking to recruit a Higher or Senior Scientific Officer to lead molecular genomics and single cell sequencing studies of cancer evolution. The principal duty of the post will be to undertake research into the evolutionary dynamics that underpin colorectal cancer development and response to treatment. The post holder will lead experimental wet-lab work to generate molecular genomics data, particularly single cell data, from patient material, cell lines, organoids and other sample types. About you The successful candidate must have: PhD in molecular biology or other relevant area. Undergraduate degree in biological or quantitative subject. Ability to perform advanced NGS experiments for the analysis of cancer genomes Ability to conduct single cell/nuclei dissociation, sorting and NGS analysis in cell lines and/or patient biopsies Proven expertise in advanced NGS technologies, including RNA-seq, DNA-seq, and single-cell sequencing. Hands-on experience with single-cell technologies such as scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, or spatial transcriptomics. Good communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with other team members. Department/Directorate Information The Centre for Evolution and Cancer (CEC), within the Division of Cancer Biology, is a multidisciplinary centre, comprising around 50 staff dedicated to understanding cancer evolution and leveraging this knowledge for translational benefit. Our interests span early detection through to treatment of metastatic disease. The CEC brings together expertise in evolutionary theory, computational biology and bioinformatics together with cutting-edge research ability in cell and molecular biology to provide a stimulating and creative interdisciplinary environment where new approaches to tackling cancer can thrive. The Genomics and Evolutionary Dynamics team combine molecular and cellular biology together with mathematical and computational modelling to study the evolution of malignancy. We focus on early detection in the gastrointestinal tract, colorectal cancer evolution and treatment response, and pan-cancer genomics. We perform basic research into the biology of the human body in health and disease and translate our findings to improve clinical care of patients affected by cancer. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Prof Trevor Graham [email protected].
Senior Research Manager
Under the guidance of Dr. Navita Somaiah, we are seeking to recruit a Senior Research Manager to contribute to research development and delivery. The successful candidate will play a key role in protocol development, research funding applications and regulatory issues for clinical and translational research undertaken by Dr Navita Somaiah and the wider Breast Radiotherapy Unit. About you The successful candidate must have: Proven experience of working on oncology or radiotherapy clinical trials or experience of oncology data management Experience of working in accordance with ICH-GCP regulatory standards for the conduct of clinical trials and UK Research Governance Excellent ability to manage trial logistics and variety of tasks at any given time Highly organised, ability to adapt to a dynamic clinical environment Excellent interpersonal skills and team-working skills Department/Directorate Information The Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging is investigating new imaging methods to diagnose cancer, and ways in which advances in technology and molecular biology can improve radiation treatment. It is also increasingly concerned with the use of imaging to evaluate the response to treatment in vivo, through techniques measuring aspects of tumour biology. Translational Breast Radiobiology Group Dr. Navita Somaiah is a group leader (clinician scientist) at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and an honorary clinical oncology consultant at The Royal Marsden, Breast Unit. Her team works on optimisation of radiotherapy by improving tumour response whilst minimising normal tissue toxicity for more personalised treatments. She leads several national/ international phase I/II clinical trials with a focus on maximising translational read-outs to understand radiation-induced changes in the tumour microenvironment and identify biomarkers of response/resistance to improve therapeutic efficacy. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Navita Somaiah or Lone Gothard for further information by emailing [email protected] or [email protected], respectively.
Flow Cytometry Specialist
A Flow Cytometry Specialist position is available at the ICR Flow Cytometry Facility from September 2025. Part of a team of five staff working across both of our sites, the post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of the facility. This includes instrument maintenance, calibration and troubleshooting, cell analysis and sorting, data analysis and training, panel design and protocol optimization as well as to assist researchers with expert technical advice and support. The role should enable the production of high-quality data which is publication ready. The successful candidate will provide Flow Cytometry, single cell solutions and data analysis support to researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research. About you The successful candidate should ideally have: BSc/MSc in biological sciences and have excellent laboratory and analytical skills. Experience with multi-colour flow cytometry (analysis and sorting), panel design and data analysis (flow and imaging) is essential. Experience in high parameter data analysis and coding, as well as experience working in core research facility or in lab management would be advantageous. Given the dynamic role the successful candidate will have excellent communication and team working skills as well as be able to work independently and under pressure, prioritize work effectively and be pragmatic and flexible. You will have excellent attention to detail and good IT skills. Department/Directorate Information At the ICR we aim to defeat cancer through scientific excellence, innovation and partnership. These principals underpin our approach to scientific infrastructure and research support. The Core Research Facilities, which include Flow Cytometry Facility, are part of the wider Research Services that supports researchers at the ICR. The use of cutting-edge technology coupled with expert staff, who employ it effectively, is essential to the success and progress of our research work. We are proud to have a number of Core Research Facilities within the ICR that provide this resource to our researchers. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Hira Ale via Email [email protected]
Digital Marketing Officer
About the Role We are seeking a Digital Marketing Officer to join our Development and Communications directorate and contribute to the ICR’s digital marketing needs – in particular, to support fundraising across all digital touchpoints. The successful candidate will play a key role in producing and editing digital fundraising content for the ICR’s website and donation platform; creating content for digital ads, including writing copy, working on video briefs, and collating appropriate imagery; our email marketing by writing compelling copy, building templates and working with data. Key Responsibilities Creating fundraising content for the ICR's website Developing effective digital supporter journeys Writing copy for email marketing Creating and optimising content for digital advertising About You We are looking for someone with experience in writing engaging copy for email marketing, social media and paid advertising, and have good knowledge of email marketing and digital platforms including Mailchimp, Google Search Ads, Ad Grants and Meta. What We Offer A supportive and collaborative working environment. Opportunities for professional development and career progression. Competitive salary and pension Directorate Information The role of the Development and Communications directorate is to tell the ICR’s story and focus on income generation. The ICR is world-renowned for its outstanding cancer research – and it deserves communication to match. We believe that communicating effectively about the ICR's work can help us build on our successes – attracting donors and supporters, the best staff and students, commercial partners and collaborators. We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Thea Cassel, Digital Marketing Manager, via email on [email protected].