Automation-Focused Microbiology Research Assistant

Ellison Institute, LLC; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance + Bonus

Enhanced holiday pay

Pension

Life Assurance

Income Protection

Private Medical Insurance

Hospital Cash Plan

Therapy Services

Perk Box

Electric Car Scheme

Job summary

The Ellison Institute of Technology in Oxford invites a Research Assistant to join the Pathogen Project, supporting generation of high-quality microbiology data and R&D in a highly automated lab focused on biobanking and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

You will work under senior microbiologists, perform AST, culturing, MALDI-TOF, data records, and help optimise workflows for scalable, reproducible results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Microbiology or related life science.
• 2+ years wet-lab experience.
• Strong microbiology techniques (culturing, plating, aseptic).
• Attention to detail and ability to follow protocols.
• Excellent organisation and record-keeping.
• Experience with antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Experience with MALDI-TOF identification.
• BSL-2 laboratory experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform AST of bacterial isolates per EUCAST/CLSI guidelines.
• Design and improve laboratory workflows, including sample handling and data generation.
• Prepare and handle microbial cultures under BSL-2 conditions.
• Identify microbial cultures using MALDI-TOF or culture-based methods.
• Biobank microbial cultures and manage stock control.
• Operate automated workflows for micro-broth dilution and data generation.
• Collaborate with microbiologists, genomics scientists, and automation engineers to improve processes.

Skills

Microbiology techniques

Aseptic technique

MALDI-TOF

Lab automation

Data recording

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Microbiology or related life science

Tools

MALDI-TOF systems

LIMS

Automated platforms (Hamilton/Opentrons)

DNA extraction / library prep

Job description

The Ellison Institute of Technology in Oxford invites a Research Assistant to join the Pathogen Project, supporting generation of high-quality microbiology data and R&D in a highly automated lab focused on biobanking and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

You will work under senior microbiologists, perform AST, culturing, MALDI-TOF, data records, and help optimise workflows for scalable, reproducible results.