Lead Vector Design Manager, Crop Transformation

Ellison Institute of Technology; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance

Annual bonus

Pension 7.5%

Private medical insurance

Cycle to work

Nursery salary sacrifice

Neurodiversity support

Job summary

Ellison Institute of Technology seeks an experienced Vector Design Manager to lead the design, build strategy and release of transformation vectors for gene edited and transgenic crops. You will set standards, curate a vector inventory and guide teams through high-throughput transformation workflows.

The role requires deep molecular design expertise, strong project management and cross-functional communication to align with regulatory and commercial objectives.

Qualifications

• PhD in Plant Biotechnology or MSc with significant industry experience; 5–7+ years in plant biotech, molecular design or vector development.
• Expertise in plant vector design for crop transformation including multi-gene constructs.
• Strong knowledge of CRISPR/Cas systems, guide RNA design, multiplex editing and donor template design.
• Experience with sequence analysis tools and annotation, and capability in design review.

Responsibilities

• Lead vector design strategy for gene edited and transgenic crop projects.
• Translate biology and transformation requirements into vectors for various delivery systems.
• Provide guidance on CRISPR/Cas systems and editing options.
• Develop commercial-grade design rules considering transformation performance and regulatory needs.
• Own construct intake, review, annotation, version control and release criteria.
• Manage DNA synthesis, cloning, sequencing, and external service workflows.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure vectors fit molecular assay strategies.
• Build and maintain a structured vector inventory using ELN, LIMS and sequence management tools.
• Create SOPs, templates, QC checklists and handover forms.
• Track milestones, risks and timelines; escalate blockers and propose contingency plans.
• Partner with legal, IP, regulatory and procurement to align vector designs.
• Train scientists and project teams in vector design principles.
• Combine deep design expertise with operational discipline to reduce failed transformations.

Skills

Vector design

CRISPR/Cas

Project management

Documentation

Communication

Molecular biology

Plant biotechnology

Education

PhD in Plant Biotechnology

MSc with industry experience

Tools

Benchling

SnapGene

Geneious

Vector NTI

Job description

Ellison Institute of Technology seeks an experienced Vector Design Manager to lead the design, build strategy and release of transformation vectors for gene edited and transgenic crops. You will set standards, curate a vector inventory and guide teams through high-throughput transformation workflows.

The role requires deep molecular design expertise, strong project management and cross-functional communication to align with regulatory and commercial objectives.