Lead activities within CRISPR for a leader in herbicide discovery.
Work in an emerging sector at the forefront of global scientific developments.
Join a diverse and motivated team, working in state-of-the-art lab facilities.
The client is an innovative and rapidly growing crop protection company, working extensively in the research and development of new herbicides. With the goal of supporting farmers on a global scale, the diverse team work to support food security and enhance agricultural sustainability.Joining the Biology team, you will work with a range of excellent scientists who design, use, and support the advancement of disruptive ag-tech technologies. With the core focus of developing sustainable crop protection products, the client is looking for an expert in CRISPR (Cas9, Cas12, Cas13) to join the team.What you'll be doing:In the role of Senior Scientist, you will be supporting the identification of novel biological targets, target validation, and biomarker development. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to contribute to advancements in the identification and development of novel herbicides. This position provides you with an excellent opportunity to implement and apply cutting edge genome editing and cellular techniques to support the acceleration of both target identification and validation work. There is great career potential, with numerous opportunities to progress to a lead/managerial position.In the role of Senior Scientist (CRISPR), you will:
Directly contribute to discovery activities, meeting individual and team timelines to ensure the delivery of company and departmental objectives.
Design and conduct experiments to identify and validate novel targets, new biological mechanisms, and novel biomarkers.
Develop plant-based (phenotypic) CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing assays to support with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing library screens for the identification and validation of novel starting targets or biomarkers for internal projects.
Be responsible for the development and execution of follow-up studies, such as secondary, filtering, and orthogonal assays to validate primary hits.
Train members of the biology group in the use of gene silencing technologies.
Be responsible for generating knock-out (constitutive, inducible, or conditional) or knock-in cells (catalytically / functionally dead mutant plants).
Stay up to date with scientific literature advancements in the plant genome editing field. Utilising this information, you will recommend new processes/procedures, helping to drive scientific and technical innovation.
Validate and characterise models at the molecular, phenotypic, and/or functional levels. This will include ddPCR, qRT-PCR, Western Blot, FACS, and NGS. Where applicable, you will test and characterise the effects of small molecule inhibitors on the models generated (i.e., plant/cell line activity, context specificity, resistance, etc).
Validate novel targets, mode of action, and plant studies to elucidate potential mechanisms of action at the cellular and molecular level. this will drive subsequent herbicide discovery efforts.
Work collaboratively within an inter-disciplinary team, including Chemistry, Bioinformatics, and Safety team members to validate targets, optimise CRISPR screens and explore the potential of candidate molecules.
Prepare scientific work for internal and external communications. There will be the opportunity to collaborative with external partners.
What experience you'll need to apply:This role will be a great fit for you if you have:
A PhD in a relevant subject, such as biology, genetics, biochemistry, plant science etc. An MSc with further academic and/or industrial experience will also be accepted.
Demonstrated experience in molecular biology.
Previously established best practice within a laboratory, with the ability to work independently on simultaneous projects in a fast-paced and goal-oriented environment.
Hands on research experience and a proven track record of delivering CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing screens for plant targets.
Developed a variety of gene silencing technologies, understanding the use of these technologies in supporting plant science advancements.
Experience in troubleshooting issues with assay performance.
What you'll get in return for your experience:In addition to a competitive base salary (DOE), you will receive:
Up to 10% annual bonus.
Share options.
5% employer contribution to work-place pension, with employer matching contributions up to 7.5%.
25 days Holiday + Bank Holidays (33 days total).
The ability to buy extra holidays (up to 5 per year).
Group life insurance, including Smart Health.
Access to a Health Care Scheme.
Income Protection.
Free parking on-site.
Subsidised bus travel with the Oxford Bus Company.
Flexible working hours (between 8am-6pm).
This role is based in Oxford, with the option of hybrid-working 1-day a week. The client is looking for candidates to start as soon as possible and are able to offer VISA sponsorship. What's next?If you would like to work as the leading CRISPR Senior Scientist for an exciting herbicide discovery ag-tech company, please apply for the position or get in touch with Imogen Turner () for more information.
