High-Throughput Molecular Assay Scientist

Wild Bioscience Ltd; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group life cover

Critical illness cover

Pension scheme 5%

Private medical insurance

Maternity/paternity leave

Regular socials

Refreshments

Job summary

Wild Bio is seeking an ambitious High-Throughput Molecular Assay Scientist to design and deliver screening assays across plant cell and tissue systems. You will lead the build of a scalable screening platform in protoplast systems, testing AI-designed promoter variants and shortlisting strong candidates for crop transformation.

You will define assay strategy, library delivery, reporters, normalisation and readouts, collaborating with plant tissue culture teams, providing training, and extending

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of molecular screening assays, including reporter choice, normalisation, assay format, and readout.
• Design DNA libraries for screening in plant cell and tissue systems, working with internal teams and external partners.
• Plan and execute downstream assays with proper controls and replication, define go/no-go criteria, and deliver clear decisions.

Job description

High-Throughput Molecular Assay Scientist

At Wild Bio we are radically enhancing crops to feed the world sustainably and promote a wilder planet. Wild plants have had half a billion years to evolve natural solutions for thriving in almost every environment on Earth. Our proprietary genetics platform harnesses these wild innovations to enhance the world’s most important crops. Wild-enhanced crops would simultaneously boost farm yields and promote gigaton-scale carbon mitigation strategies. If you’re looking for a start-up that has enormous potential for impact on growers, consumers, and the planet, please read on.

Wild Bio is a well-funded, fast-paced Oxford University spin-out working from state-of-the-art labs and offices at Milton Park, Oxfordshire. We are about to enter an exciting phase of growth and are looking for a driven and curious Scientist to join us and significantly contribute to delivering the change we believe in.

Our Values

• Curiosity: We fuel our desire to explore the unknown, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and sparking innovation. We ask questions, seek answers, and embrace lifelong learning.
• Community: We believe in the strength and support gained through collaboration and inclusion. As part of a global community, we nurture connections to drive meaningful impact for both people and planet.
• Courage: We face challenges head-on, take calculated risks, and stand up for our beliefs. Our bravery propels us to take action, even in the face of adversity.

If these values resonate with you, we invite you to join our team of passionate scientists and innovators working at the cutting edge of bioscience.

The Role

We’re looking for a Scientist to own the design and delivery of high-throughput assays across our plant cell and tissue culture systems: the experiments that tell us, quickly and reliably, which of our trait designs work. You’ll join our Trait Discovery Team, and to begin with you’ll lead the build of a scalable screening platform in our established protoplast system, used to test large libraries of AI-designed promoter variants and shortlist the strongest for transformation into our crops.

You’ll set the strategy for what the assay needs to do, from how libraries are delivered into cells to the reporters, normalisation and readouts we rely on, and put robust, well-controlled experiments in place. You’ll do this hand in hand with our plant tissue culture teams, coordinating the work they do on these assays, consulting them on assay design, and training them where needed to run new experiments. As our R&D priorities evolve, you’ll bring the same rigour to new assay needs, for example designing enzyme assays to evaluate engineered hairy root lines in our Carbon programme.

As part of our Trait Discovery Team, you’ll be the driving force behind the assays that turn computational predictions into experimental data, helping us to identify the strongest trait designs for crop engineering.

You will:

• Lead the development and implementation of molecular screening assays, including reporter choice, normalisation, assay format, and readout.
• Design DNA libraries for screening in our plant cell and tissue systems, working closely with internal teams and external partners.
• Plan and execute downstream assays, building experiments with the right controls and replication, defining success criteria up front, and delivering clear go/no-go recommendations.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across teams to optimise and scale molecular assays and write robust protocols for deployment across the wider teams.
• Coordinate, mentor, and train junior colleagues, involving them in assay design and helping them build their expertise in different molecular assays and high-throughput screens.

• Group life cover x 4 of base salary
• Critical illness cover x 4 of base salary
• Pension scheme with a 5% Company contribution
• Private medical insurance including dental and optical
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Regular company socials
• Complimentary refreshments throughout the week
• Team meals including breakfast on a Monday and lunch each Friday, creating opportunities for informal networking and team bonding
• Training and development opportunities
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to work with cutting edge science

Location

We’re headquartered in Milton Park, a business and technology park in Oxfordshire. This is an on-site role, though we offer flexibility and hybrid working when possible.