▷ [11/08/2025] Research Lead, Multidisciplinary Science...

Job Description

Salary: £82,100

Closing date: Sunday, 17 August 2025

Contract type: Permanent

Interview dates: 8-9 September 2025

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation. We improve health for everyone by funding science, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building partnerships.

We plan to spend £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: infectious disease, mental health, and climate and health.

We are looking for a Multidisciplinary Science Lead to join the Infectious Disease Strategic Programme (IDSP).

This is a new role and an exciting opportunity to shape new multidisciplinary initiatives that draw on the wider work of the Infectious Disease team. The role will be internal and external facing with an important requirement to assist in building new partnerships with other stakeholders and partners.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

IDSP is a multidisciplinary team responsible for delivering Wellcome's strategy to address the global health challenge of infectious disease. Our ambitious goal is to accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs, vaccines and interventions through to transforming the lives of people suffering from or at risk of infectious disease. We do this by funding research, product development and policy initiatives and currently focus on: Vector and Water borne Infections, TB, AMR, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.

What will I be doing?

As a Multidisciplinary Science Lead, you will play a critical role in identifying and developing new scientific and impactful opportunities that can leverage and cut across the existing Infectious Disease programmes of work in our epidemiology, therapeutics, vaccines, clinical research and policy teams.

As well as interfacing with scientific initiatives across Wellcome, a key part of this role will be to identify and support new relationships with other funders and stakeholders, to advance our strategy of developing and delivering new interventions to combat infectious disease in the highest burden settings.

You will contribute to shaping the vision and strategy of the Infectious Disease programme, working across teams and functions to assist in defining the most impactful partnerships required for the programme.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead strategic Infectious Disease projects: Working with the Director and other members of the Infectious Disease Senior management team, leading and managing key multidisciplinary initiatives aligned with the Infectious Disease strategy, including scoping, planning, and delivery.
  
  
• Stakeholder engagement: Building and maintaining relationships with external senior stakeholders including research partners, government and non-government agencies, and funders to identify opportunities to work together to develop and deliver high-impact projects for Infectious Disease.
  
  
• Represent Wellcome and the IDSP Programme: Serve as a representative for IDSP Nationally and International to articulate our multidisciplinary strategy and deputize for Senior management in various forums.
  
  
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with teams across Wellcome including Discovery, Climate and Health, Mental Health, Equity, and Policy and Partnerships to develop and lead on multidisciplinary projects that will leverage the opportunities across Wellcome to deliver impact for the IDSP programme.
  
  
• Data-driven: Ensure all multidisciplinary initiatives are evidence-based, monitored effectively, and leverage new opportunities in data science, as well as delivering impact for relevant stakeholders.
  
  
• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture across the organisation, collaborating across departments.
  
  Is this job for me?
  
  We are looking for someone who is passionate about global health and motivated to help discover, develop and deliver new interventions that will deliver impact in the communities with the highest burden of infectious disease. If you are somebody who is highly motivated to understand and learn new areas of science and how they can be integrated to advance our infectious disease strategy, then we would love to hear from you.
  
  In return, you'll join an ambitious, purpose-driven organisation where your work will contribute directly to Wellcome's mission to improve health through science, especially for under-served communities.
  
  How to apply:
  
  To apply for this role please submit an updated CV and answer 2 application questions to demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements for the role.
  
  Minimum criteria:
  
  
• Relevant postgraduate qualification to the Infectious Disease strategic programme, or equivalent experience.
  
  
• Proven significant experience and knowledge across a range of different technical disciplines relevant to the Infectious Disease strategy
  
  
• Experience of setting up and delivering strategic initiatives with multi-disciplinary teams at a variety of scales
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to develop and negotiate partnerships with key individuals and organisations
  
  Discover more:
  
  You can view the full job description on our website.
  
  You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website
  
  Our Hybrid Way of Working
  
  We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best.
  
  At Wellcome we have a hybrid way of working which is 3 days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the remaining 2 days working either remotely or in the office.
  
  Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do
  
  Diversity and Inclusion is a priority at Wellcome. We are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at .