ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, blˈʌndɛl dʒˈɔɪnd ðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ʌv kɹˌɪstɐlˈɑːɡɹəfi æt bˈɜːkbɛk, jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv lˈʌndən, bᵻkˈʌmɪŋ hˈɛd ʌv dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt.
In 1976, Blundell joined the Department of Crystallography at Birkbeck, University of London, becoming head of department in 1978.