Associate Scientist - Target Discovery

Cranleigh STEM, Sustainability & SHEQ Recruitment; Oxford; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotech firm in Oxford is seeking an Associate Scientist to enhance their innovative team. The role focuses on CHO cell culture and CRISPR gene-editing, requiring strong molecular and cell biology skills. You will design experiments, support cell line development, and ensure lab safety standards. If you're passionate about target discovery and have a solid background in biotech, this opportunity could be your next career move.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in biotech or pharma with BSc/MSc, or 1+ years with PhD.
• Strong experience with CHO suspension cells and CRISPR/Cas9 techniques.

Responsibilities

• Designing and executing CHO cell culture experiments.
• Running CRISPR knockout screens and transfections.
• Writing SOPs and maintaining lab documentation.

Skills

CHO cell culture

CRISPR gene-editing

Molecular biology

Cell biology

Scientific communication

Education

BSc/MSc

PhD

Tools

FACSAria Fusion Flow Cytometer

Beacon

Ambr15

Job description

Job Description

Associate Scientist – Target Discovery | Biotech | CHO Cell Lines | CRISPR

Location: Oxford

Salary: £34k - £37k + benefits

We’re hiring an Associate Scientist to join an innovative biotech team focused on advancing mammalian cell line development. If you're experienced in CHO cell culture and CRISPR gene-editing, and you're passionate about target discovery, this could be your next move.

What you’ll be doing:

• Designing and executing CHO cell culture experiments using small-scale and high-throughput models
• Running CRISPR knockout screens and transfections for gene editing
• Applying molecular and cell biology assays (qRT-PCR, Western blotting, ELISA)
• Operating the BD FACSAria Fusion Flow Cytometer for single cell cloning and analysis
• Supporting cell line development using technologies like Beacon and Ambr15
• Writing SOPs, maintaining lab documentation, and training junior scientists
• Ensuring lab safety standards and participating in out-of-hours cell culture as needed

What we’re looking for:

• BSc/MSc with 3+ years or PhD with 1+ years in a biotech or pharma environment
• Strong experience with CHO suspension cells, single-cell workflows, and genotyping
• Skilled in CRISPR/Cas9 techniques and FACS-based cell sorting
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced lab
• Experienced in experimental planning, troubleshooting, and scientific communication

Nice to have:

• Familiarity with Beacon, Ambr15, or 96-well high-throughput models
• Experience working safely with lentiviral plasmid systems in a CAT2 environment
• Understanding of monoclonal antibody production and critical quality attributes (CQA)

Looking to play a key role in breakthrough biologics research? Apply now!