High-Throughput Molecular Assay Scientist Wild Bioscience Ltd

Epso; Milton; Remote; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group life cover x 4 of base salary

Critical illness cover x 4 of base

Pension scheme with 5% Company contrib

Private medical insurance incl. dental

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Regular company socials

Complimentary refreshments

Team meals for networking and bonding

Training and development opportunities

Flexible working opportunities

Opportunity to work with cutting edge

Job summary

Epso is seeking a Scientist to own the design and delivery of high-throughput assays across plant cell and tissue culture systems. You will lead the build of a scalable screening platform in our protoplast system, testing AI-designed promoter libraries and shortlisting strong candidates for transformation into crops.

You will set assay strategy, ensure robust controls and readouts, and train colleagues. This role involves collaboration with tissue culture teams and potential expansion into

Qualifications

• PhD in plant science, biochemistry, functional genomics, or related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Proven experience designing and delivering high-throughput molecular assays (e.g. MPRA, pooled libraries, plate-based enzyme screens).
• Strong molecular biology skills: design and cloning/synthesis of plasmid DNA libraries; barcoded libraries/NGS readouts a plus.
• Experience with plant transient and transformation systems and associated reporter assays.
• Rigorous experimental design with controls, normalisation and replication.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of molecular screening assays (reporter choice, normalisation, readout).
• Design DNA libraries for screening in plant cell and tissue systems.
• Plan and execute downstream assays with proper controls and clear go/no-go recommendations.
• Collaborate across teams to optimise and scale molecular assays; write robust deployment protocols.
• Coordinate, mentor, and train junior colleagues in assay design and high-throughput screens.

Skills

High-throughput assays design

Molecular biology

DNA library design/ cloning

NGS readouts

Plant transformation systems

Data analysis

Mentoring/Training

Scientific communication

Learning new techniques

Education

PhD in plant science / biochemistry / functional genomics

Tools

NGS platforms

Barcoded libraries

Job description

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.

Job requirements

• PhD in plant science, biochemistry, functional genomics, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Proven experience designing and delivering high-throughput molecular assays (e.g.
  massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs), pooled library screens, or plate-based enzyme
  activity screens), from concept through to results.
• Strong molecular biology skills, including the design and cloning or synthesis of plasmid DNA
  libraries. Experience with barcoded libraries and/or NGS-based readouts is a plus.
• Experience with plant transient and transformation systems (e.g. protoplast transfection,
  leaf infiltration, or hairy root transformation) and associated reporter assays is desirable.
• A rigorous approach to experimental design, with a keen eye for the controls, normalisation,
  and replication needed to trust a result.
• Confidence analysing quantitative assay data and turning it into a clear recommendation.
• A pragmatic, decisive approach and a track record of delivering projects to tight timelines.
• Experience supervising, training, or mentoring junior colleagues, and a real interest in
  helping others develop.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to partner with computational, molecular, and
  plant transformation colleagues.
• A genuine enthusiasm for picking up new techniques quickly and getting stuck into new
  problems.

Job responsibilities

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.

Benefits

• 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 onsite role, though we offer flexibility and hybrid working when possible.