Lead Scientist Cell & Molecular Scientist

Lonza Group Ltd.; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Competitive compensation

Benefits package

Job summary

Lonza Group Ltd. in Cambridge, UK, is seeking a Lead Scientist to head cell expression technologies. You will lead R&D projects, spend most time hands-on in the lab, and drive delivery of expression solutions for complex therapeutic proteins.

This fully site-based role emphasizes collaboration, technical excellence, and knowledge sharing. The successful candidate will have a PhD and strong CHO cell engineering skills, with hands-on molecular biology experience and a proven ability to lead

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent advanced scientific qualification in a relevant field.
• Strong practical expertise in CHO cell line engineering and mammalian expression system development.
• Hands-on experience in molecular biology including development and manipulation of expression systems.
• Experience designing, executing and interpreting complex experiments with cell line engineering.
• Proven track record leading scientific projects and mentoring colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead key mammalian cell expression projects, spending ~80% of time hands-on in the lab.
• Develop next-generation CHO-based expression hosts for complex therapeutic proteins and GMP transfer.
• Engineer mammalian cell lines using CRISPR and integration strategies; develop expression vectors.
• Characterise engineered cell lines with NGS, ddPCR, qPCR, flow cytometry, and culture techniques.
• Analyse data, maintain traceable records, and communicate findings clearly.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and mentor junior scientists.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Problem solving

Communication

Education

PhD in relevant field

Tools

CRISPR gene editing

qPCR

NGS

Flow cytometry

Job description

Lead Scientist – Cell Expression Technologies Location

Cambridge, UK The actual location of this job is in Cambridge, UK. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates and their families, if needed.

Join Lonza’s team in Cambridge and help shape the next generation of mammalian cell expression technologies. As Lead Scientist, you will lead innovative R&D projects developing industrially relevant CHO expression platforms for complex therapeutic proteins, with approximately 80% of your time spent hands‑on in the laboratory. This is a fully site‑based role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and the technical precision needed to manufacture medicines to the highest quality and safety standards.

What you will get:

• An agile career and dynamic working culture.
• An inclusive and ethical workplace.
• Compensation programs that recognize high performance.
• A variety of benefits dependent on role and location.
• The full list of our global benefits can be found here: https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits.

What you will do:

• Lead key mammalian cell expression projects, spending approximately 80% of your time performing hands‑on laboratory work and driving delivery of project goals.
• Develop and contribute to next‑generation CHO‑based expression hosts for the production of complex therapeutic proteins, including transferring new technologies towards GMP manufacturing.
• Engineer mammalian cell lines using approaches including random and targeted integration and CRISPR‑based gene editing, and develop expression vectors using state‑of‑the‑art molecular biology and assembly techniques.
• Characterise engineered cell lines using a range of analytical approaches, including NGS, ddPCR, qPCR, flow cytometry and advanced cell culture techniques.
• Analyse, evaluate and sign off experimental data, maintaining high‑quality, traceable records and communicating findings through clear written and oral reports.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and mentor junior scientists, supporting knowledge sharing, technical development and delivery of expression solutions.
• Build world‑leading expertise in mammalian expression systems through technology development, idea generation, internal stakeholder engagement and ownership of proof‑of‑concept projects.

What we are looking for:

• A PhD or equivalent advanced scientific qualification, combined with relevant R&D experience in an academic or industrial environment.
• Strong practical expertise in CHO cell line engineering and mammalian expression system development.
• Hands‑on experience in molecular biology, including the development and manipulation of expression systems.
• Experience using cell line engineering and characterisation techniques, with the ability to design, execute and interpret complex experiments.
• Demonstrated experience leading scientific projects, mentoring colleagues and contributing to technology development and transfer towards GMP manufacturing.
• Strong collaboration, communication and problem‑solving skills, with a proactive approach to working across disciplines.
• Working knowledge of experimental design and statistics, with the ability to turn complex experimental data into clear, actionable conclusions.

About Lonza

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re ready to help turn our customers’ breakthrough ideas into viable therapies, we look forward to welcoming you on board.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences?