Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Associate – Biomedical Engineering , 1 FTE, School of Engineering, 011707

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time, fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Associate with  Dr Eimear Dolan’s research group in  Biomedical Engineering on active therapeutic medical implants, with a combination of basic and translational studies. Our research interests include medical implant design and assessment, medical implant integration, novel drug- and cell-based therapies, soft robotics, immunoengineering, translation of our discoveries.

This position is funded by Research Ireland and is available from June 2026 to February 2028.

Salary:  

Postdoctoral Researcher salary/Research Associate scale €46,805 - €59,654 per annum, (subject to the project’s funding limitations), and pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts. The default position for all new public sector appointments is the 1st point of the salary scale. This may be reviewed, and consideration afforded to appointment at a higher point on the payscale (subject to the project’s funding limitations), where evidence of prior years’ equivalent experience is accepted in determining placement on the scale above point 1, subject to the maximum of the scale.

 (Research Salary Scales - University of Galway)  

JOB DESCRIPTION:  

Medical implants are placed inside the body for medical purposes, usually for long periods. Presently, implant failure is expected and inevitable, and the costs, inconvenience and morbidity that it can impose on patients are largely accepted. Once any foreign object is implanted it triggers a series of cellular events to protect the body, known as the foreign body response. This can lead to the formation of a dense fibrous capsule around the implant that becomes impermeable and can lead to implant failure, as it prevents integration of the implant with the body. This is particularly concerning for implants that rely on harmonious contact with the body, where seamless exchange of molecules is necessary for implant function.

Our research group have developed a novel platform which actuates (inflates and deflates in a controlled manner) to interfere with the foreign body response and improve the long-term performance of these implants. We have shown that our novel actuatable platform can maintain therapy delivery for eight weeks. This postdoctoral position will explore the longer-term performance of our actuatable implants and the delivery of drug and cell-based therapies through our therapeutic implants for diseases such as Ovarian Cancer and Diabetes.

This position requires in-depth knowledge related to the assessment of the integration/long-term performance of medical implants for drug and cell-based therapies. This position is funded by Research Ireland and is available immediately with some flexibility on start date for up to 2 years.

Duties:  

• Design and perform experiments and analyses relevant to therapeutic medical implants and collaborate with scientific groups locally, nationally and internationally
• Lead the design, execution and analysis of in vivo experiments AND/OR lead the development of our medical implants, under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
• Lead the design, execution and analysis of in vitro experiments, under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
• Mentor undergraduate and/or graduate students who work on similar research projects and provide training in relevant research methods
• Publish peer-reviewed articles and present findings at national/international scientific meetings
• Proactively identify risks and technical solutions
• Any other duties assigned commensurate to this level of post

Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on 30th April 2026.  It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date. Interviews are planned to be held in May. 

*Please review full job description for further details and essential requirement