Scientist mixing solutions in lab

Study and Careers

As the UK’s leading academic research centre, The Institute of Cancer Research offers a fantastic work and study environment, great opportunities for development and the chance to make a real difference for cancer patients. We aim to train, recruit and develop the best – with positions for outstanding scientists and clinicians, and the most talented professional or administrative staff.

Studying at the ICR

Our competitive programmes and specialised courses are designed for the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians.

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PhD projects and opportunities

We offer 20 fully funded PhD studentships each year. Our main round opens in October, but we also advertise projects throughout the year. 

 

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Opportunities for clinicians

At The Institute of Cancer Research, London, we offer clinicians a variety of opportunities – from a taught master's course in Oncology, to fellowships providing protected time for research, and higher research degrees.

MSc in Oncology

The Taught Course in Oncology is a day-release modular programme designed for medically qualified candidates who intend to pursue a professional career in some aspect of clinical or medical oncology, either as a clinical academic or a clinician.

Why study with us?

By providing world-class expertise and support to students at The Institute of Cancer Research, we hope to advance cancer research and clinical practice not only within our organisation, but throughout the field.

Dr Becky Cook is Head of Research Support at The Institute of Cancer Research. She oversees our large strategic grant applications and is supporting the ICR's next submission to the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which is the definitive government evaluation of the quality and impact of research at UK universities.

Talk us through your typical day

I manage a small team that provides advice and support to researchers applying for external grant funding from funders including the Research Councils, Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, the European Commission and the US National Institute of Health.

Personally, I coordinate and develop large strategic grant applications such as institutional PhD programme applications and the ICR's MRC Confidence in Concept award.

In addition, I meet and talk with researchers to provide advice on grant applications. With my Director, Dr Barbara Pittam, and other colleagues, I work on research policy areas and that often means drafting papers for ICR's management committees.

Another significant area of work for me is supporting and providing guidance on the ICR's next REF submission.

How does your work contribute to our mission?

Researchers need funding to deliver their research. The high level and detailed advice my team and I provide helps support the ICR in securing external grant funding. The REF informs the allocation of research funding from Research England to ICR so is also very important.

Moreover, I help to secure funding to train the next generation of ICR researchers – another important ICR aim – by working on applications for PhD programmes, including the successful Wellcome Clinical PhD programme application and the ICR's MRC iCASE Programme.

Can you give us any examples of where you see the ICR's values in your work?

Supporting grant applications embodies many of the ICR values – in particular working together and leading innovation. A grant application involves input from various people, researchers and other corporate teams, to develop new and exciting ideas to describe in an application so that it provides a compelling case for funding.

What are you most proud of?

I have worked on and contributed to various successful grant applications which makes me very proud. There are two that stand out because of their strategic importance and status; the Regius Professorship and Queen's Anniversary Prize. I feel very proud to know that I made vital contributions to these two significant recognitions of the ICR’s excellent and impactful research.

Who do you collaborate with at the ICR and elsewhere?

I work with researchers across the ICR, as it is their research and ideas I'm usually writing about. For student applications, I work with other teams in Academic Services as well as our Learning and Development team in HR. I also work closely with Research Finance on grant support as they provide the costings for grant applications and I collaborate with the team overseeing the Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and the ICR.

What makes you want to work for the ICR?

I previously carried out research myself, having undertaken my PhD at the ICR, and although I decided that being in the lab wasn’t the career for me, working at the ICR in a research support role really appealed. The ICR makes a real difference to cancer patients' lives and I get lots of satisfaction from contributing to that work in some small way. Also the ICR is great place to work as it is a very supportive environment, with lots of committed and interesting people.

Dr Becky Cook is Head of Research Support at The Institute of Cancer Research. She oversees our large strategic grant applications and is supporting the ICR's next submission to the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which is the definitive government evaluation of the quality and impact of research at UK universities.

Talk us through your typical day

I manage a small team that provides advice and support to researchers applying for external grant funding from funders including the Research Councils, Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, the European Commission and the US National Institute of Health.

Personally, I coordinate and develop large strategic grant applications such as institutional PhD programme applications and the ICR's MRC Confidence in Concept award.

In addition, I meet and talk with researchers to provide advice on grant applications. With my Director, Dr Barbara Pittam, and other colleagues, I work on research policy areas and that often means drafting papers for ICR's management committees.

Another significant area of work for me is supporting and providing guidance on the ICR's next REF submission.

How does your work contribute to our mission?

Researchers need funding to deliver their research. The high level and detailed advice my team and I provide helps support the ICR in securing external grant funding. The REF informs the allocation of research funding from Research England to ICR so is also very important.

Moreover, I help to secure funding to train the next generation of ICR researchers – another important ICR aim – by working on applications for PhD programmes, including the successful Wellcome Clinical PhD programme application and the ICR's MRC iCASE Programme.

Can you give us any examples of where you see the ICR's values in your work?

Supporting grant applications embodies many of the ICR values – in particular working together and leading innovation. A grant application involves input from various people, researchers and other corporate teams, to develop new and exciting ideas to describe in an application so that it provides a compelling case for funding.

What are you most proud of?

I have worked on and contributed to various successful grant applications which makes me very proud. There are two that stand out because of their strategic importance and status; the Regius Professorship and Queen's Anniversary Prize. I feel very proud to know that I made vital contributions to these two significant recognitions of the ICR’s excellent and impactful research.

Who do you collaborate with at the ICR and elsewhere?

I work with researchers across the ICR, as it is their research and ideas I'm usually writing about. For student applications, I work with other teams in Academic Services as well as our Learning and Development team in HR. I also work closely with Research Finance on grant support as they provide the costings for grant applications and I collaborate with the team overseeing the Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and the ICR.

What makes you want to work for the ICR?

I previously carried out research myself, having undertaken my PhD at the ICR, and although I decided that being in the lab wasn’t the career for me, working at the ICR in a research support role really appealed. The ICR makes a real difference to cancer patients' lives and I get lots of satisfaction from contributing to that work in some small way. Also the ICR is great place to work as it is a very supportive environment, with lots of committed and interesting people.

Lab - View of a lab with scientists working

Support moving to the UK

Whether you're a student or a full time employee, you'll get a variety of social, welfare and accommodation benefits and advice, to help your move to the UK.
Three people sitting at a table in an office, engaged in discussion and collaboration.

Working life and benefits

As a world-leading cancer research organisation, we are a dynamic and exciting place to work - with various benefits and support if you’re moving to the UK.

More about roles at the ICR

Our discoveries are made possible by a mix of scientists at different levels, as well as the leadership and corporate roles that keep us running day to day.

Current openings 

We offer 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 postdocs, scientists and clinicians, and professional or administrative staff - see the latest below:

Postdoctoral Training Fellow

  • Chelsea
  • Structural Biology
  • Salary Range: £45,600 - £55,000 per annum
  • Fixed term

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]

Higher Scientific Officer - Drug Discovery Biology, Centre for Protein Degradation

  • Sutton
  • Cancer Therapeutics
  • £39,805 - £49,023
  • Fixed term

We are seeking to recruit a Higher Scientific Officer within the Induced Proximity Therapeutics (IPT) Team in the ICR Centre for Protein Degradation to support our molecular glue and PROTAC drug discovery projects and expand induced proximity technology. The IPT team focuses on three main areas of research: Cancer target validation Screening, profiling and molecular mechanism of action of molecular glue and PROTAC degraders Novel E3 ligase biology and ligand discovery The successful candidate will work in a multidisciplinary team and play a key role in target validation, developing in vitro and cell-based assays, and pharmacological characterisation of novel molecular glue degraders and PROTACs, but may also contribute to other activities. About you The successful candidate: Will be a strong team player who is technically minded and passionate about science and cancer drug discovery Will hold a first degree, and preferably a PhD, in biological science or biochemistry Will have experience in cancer biology/target validation, genetic manipulation techniques, in vitro and cell-based assay development and pharmacological compound profiling Experience in targeted protein degradation will be a significant advantage. Department/Directorate Information This position will be based in the ICR's Centre for Protein Degradation, a part of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery (CCDD) specialising in developing novel drug modalities that re-wire tumour cells' signalling by targeted degradation of key oncogenic drivers. Our experienced biologists work closely with medicinal chemists, biophysicists, computational scientists, oncology specialists and physicians on discovering new medicines - molecular glue degraders and PROTACs - using innovative screening platforms and characterising their mechanisms of action, as well as expanding the repertoire of novel degradable drug targets and E3 ligases (enzymes that mediate protein degradation). Our research provides a nucleus for the academics and pharmaceutical industry to explore therapeutic potential of targeted protein degradation from laboratory hypothesis-testing to early clinical trials, for the benefit of cancer patients. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment in one of the successful academic cancer drug discovery centres in the UK Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development Collaboration with leading drug discovery and oncology scientist Competitive salary and pension To learn more about this role, please download the attached job pack. For informal inquiries, please contact Dr Agnieszka Konopacka, Group Leader, Induced Proximity Therapeutics, Centre for Protein Degradation via email: [email protected].

Programme Manager

  • Sutton
  • Adult Drug Development Unit
  • Salary Range £50,825 - £61,525 per annum
  • Fixed term

We are looking to appoint an experienced and committed Clinical Trial Programme Manager to work within the Drug Development Unit (DDU) at the ICR and RM. The Unit delivers industry/academic -sponsored early phase clinical trials of new anticancer drugs. The DDU is one of the leading clinical trial units in the world that undertakes early-phase oncology trials for solid tumours. Over the years, DDU has played a significant role in transitioning several anti-cancer drugs from bench -to-bedside, many of which have now become standard of care cancer treatments. The Unit has a dedicated ward within the Royal Marsden Hospital for the development of novel cancer therapeutics, which we believe will improve the care of cancer patients. Key Requirements The post holder will be educated to at least degree level in life sciences or a health related area, with previous experience of managing and working in clinical trials with an excellent understanding of the conduct of Phase I oncology trials. They must be able to manage a team of skilled people and several complex studies at a time. The post holder will be key to the communication and operations with the unit’s management group, clinical study team and with external partners, ensuring that studies are run to protocol and in accordance with ICH-GCP. The post holder must be highly organised and able to plan work around a busy clinical unit. They should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills in order to interact effectively with unit staff and patients. Institution Information The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. We provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease. Today, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) leads the world at isolating cancer-related genes and discovering new targeted drugs for personalised cancer treatment. The ICR is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best minds in the world to join us in our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer. The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading specialist cancer hospital. The Institute of Cancer Research works in close partnership with The Royal Marsden to take the results of our research rapidly into the clinic, with the aim of developing better treatments for cancer patients. Department/Directorate Information The ICR and The Royal Marsden are internationally renowned for our work together to conduct early- and late-phase clinical trials. Our joint Drug Development Unit, which sees around 300 patients per year, is one of the largest centres for phase I trials in the world and makes an important contribution to the worldwide effort to discover and develop new cancer drugs. The Drug Development Unit, is led by Professor Johann de Bono, comprises of clinicians, scientists, data and study management staff, and focuses on providing a seamless conduit between pre-clinical drug discovery, proof of principle Phase-1 clinical trials and tumour specific evaluation of novel agents. The Unit undertakes both industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated trials of new anti-cancer drugs. The Unit is rapidly expanding and provides an excellent opportunity for the post holder to develop a variety of skillsets. This post also benefits from generous annual leave entitlement and a pension. To apply for this post, please submit an online application including a supporting statement, detailing reasons why you are applying for the post and with your CV. We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close the advert before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. Therefore we advise that you to submit your application, as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Learning and Organisational Development Programme Coordinator

  • Sutton
  • Human Resources
  • Salary Range: £39,805 - £46,592 per annum
  • Fixed term

About the Role We are seeking a Learning and Development Programme Coordinator to join our department and contribute to all aspects of the scheduling, delivery and evaluation of the ICR’s training offer for staff and students and supporting the implementation of our new learning management system. The successful candidate will play a key role in liaising with internal and external trainers to coordinate our annual programme of training and events, managing training budgets, producing training reports and evaluations and project managing the move to a new learning management system. Key Responsibilities Project managing the implementation of a new learning management system (LMS) Training programme management and scheduling Liaising with internal and external training providers Evaluating the annual training programme Managing the resource bank of on demand training About You We are looking for a self-motivated individual who is highly organised and can work to tight deadlines. The ideal candidate will have a Degree level qualification in Business, Communication, HR or equivalent experience. Proven experience in managing the delivery of a structured programme of events. Significant experience of implementing LearnUpon or other Learning Management System. Excellent organizational and time-management skills. Good commercial awareness and experience of dealing directly with suppliers. Strong communication and interpersonal abilities. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Learn Upon/other LMS. What We Offer A supportive and collaborative working environment. Opportunities for professional development and career progression. Competitive salary and pension Department/Directorate Information The Learning and Organisation Team are part of the HR Directorate and provide a wide range of training and career development support for all staff and students covering: research skills, management and leadership development and personal development. We also lead on supporting equality and diversity including external awards such as Athena SWAN and HR Excellence in Research. 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 [email protected].