Lead Scientist, Mammalian Expression (CHO) – Lab Leader

Lonza; Cambridge; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Inclusive workplace

Benefits package

Job summary

Lonza in Cambridge invites applications for Lead Scientist – Cell Expression Technologies. You will lead R&D projects, spend most of your time hands-on in the lab, and drive delivery of CHO-based expression solutions for complex therapeutics, with close collaboration across teams.

You will mentor colleagues, develop next-generation expression hosts, and contribute to GMP‑manufacturing readiness while maintaining high quality and safety standards.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent advanced scientific qualification with relevant R&D experience.
• Strong CHO cell line engineering and mammalian expression system development expertise.
• Hands-on molecular biology experience with expression system development.

Responsibilities

• Lead key mammalian cell expression projects, with ~80% hands-on lab work.
• Develop next-generation CHO-based expression hosts for therapeutic proteins.
• Engineer mammalian cell lines using CRISPR and vector development techniques.
• Characterise engineered lines using NGS, ddPCR, qPCR and flow cytometry.
• Analyse data, maintain records and report findings clearly to teams.
• Mentor junior scientists and collaborate across cross-functional teams.

Skills

CHO cell line engineering

Mammalian expression system dev

Molecular biology techniques

Experimental design & statistics

Project leadership & mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

CRISPR-based gene editing

Education

PhD or equivalent advanced scientific qualification

Tools

CRISPR gene editing

NGS

ddPCR

qPCR

Flow cytometry

Job description

Lonza in Cambridge invites applications for Lead Scientist – Cell Expression Technologies. You will lead R&D projects, spend most of your time hands-on in the lab, and drive delivery of CHO-based expression solutions for complex therapeutics, with close collaboration across teams.

You will mentor colleagues, develop next-generation expression hosts, and contribute to GMP‑manufacturing readiness while maintaining high quality and safety standards.