Media Scientist

Cranleigh Scientific; Oxford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Job summary

Ivy Farm Technologies in Oxford seeks a Scientist I – Media Development to design and optimize serum‑free, chemically defined media for scalable cultivated meat.

You will plan and run experiments, work with Process Development, Scale Up, Manufacturing and Analytics, and generate data to guide media improvements.

The role requires precise data handling, ELN/LIMS usage and clear reporting to support cross‑functional projects.

Qualifications

• A PhD in Life Sciences, Biotechnology or a related discipline.
• Postdoctoral experience in cell biology or process development in industry or academia.
• Strong hands-on mammalian cell culture and aseptic techniques.
• Experience with ELN, LIMS and data interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute cell culture and media development experiments.
• Develop and optimise serum-free and chemically defined media formulations.
• Perform media component screening, dose-response, omission and interaction studies.
• Evaluate cell growth and media performance using multi-well plates, shake flasks and small-scale bioreactors.
• Collect, analyse and interpret experimental data including cell counts, viability, pH and metabolites.
• Present findings and make evidence-based recommendations for future work.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Data analysis

Experimental design

Communication skills

ELN/LIMS experience

Education

PhD in Life Sciences / Biotechnology

Tools

ELN software

LIMS

DoE software

Job description

Scientist I – Media Development

Location: Oxford

Salary: £Competitive

Ivy Farm Technologies is at the forefront of cultivated meat innovation, developing pioneering technologies that are helping shape the future of sustainable food production. As we continue to grow, we're looking for a Scientist I – Media Development to join our R&D team and play a key role in developing serum‑free and chemically defined cell culture media that supports scalable cultivated meat production.

Working within a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, you'll contribute to the design, optimisation and scale‑up of cell culture media, generating high‑quality scientific data that drives innovation across the business.

The Role

As Scientist I, you'll plan and execute laboratory experiments with increasing independence, supporting the development of next‑generation cell culture media. You'll work closely with colleagues across Process Development, Scale Up, Manufacturing and Analytics to improve cell growth, viability, robustness, scalability and cost efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute cell culture and media development experiments.
• Develop and optimise serum‑free and chemically defined media formulations.
• Perform media component screening, dose‑response, omission and interaction studies.
• Evaluate cell growth and media performance using multi‑well plates, shake flasks and small‑scale bioreactors.
• Collect, analyse and interpret experimental data, including cell counts, viability, morphology, pH, osmolality and metabolite analysis.
• Present findings and make evidence‑based recommendations for future work.
• Maintain accurate electronic laboratory notebooks and ensure data integrity.
• Troubleshoot experimental challenges using structured root‑cause analysis.
• Coordinate analytical sample submissions and maintain traceability.
• Contribute to project reviews, technical presentations and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support training, knowledge sharing and maintenance of laboratory standards while following health, safety, quality and confidentiality requirements.

About You

We're looking for a motivated scientist who enjoys solving complex biological challenges and thrives in a collaborative research environment.

You’ll ideally have:

• A PhD in Life Sciences, Biotechnology or a related discipline.
• Proven postdoctoral experience in cell biology or process development, within industry or an academic‑industry collaboration.
• Strong hands‑on experience with mammalian cell culture and aseptic laboratory techniques.
• Experience preparing cell culture media, buffers, stock solutions and reagents.
• Knowledge of experimental design, data analysis and biological data interpretation.
• Experience using electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN), LIMS and controlled documentation.
• Excellent planning, communication and problem‑solving skills.

Desirable Experience

• Stem cell, primary cell, suspension or 3D mammalian cell culture.
• Small‑scale bioreactor operation.
• Automated high‑throughput screening platforms.
• Design of Experiments (DoE) software.
• Familiarity with HPLC, LC‑MS or metabolite analysis workflows.

What Ivy Farm Technologies Offers

• The opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking cultivated meat technology.
• A collaborative and innovative scientific environment.
• The chance to work alongside talented multidisciplinary teams tackling real‑world challenges.
• Ongoing opportunities for technical and professional development.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

If you're passionate about advancing cell culture technologies and want to make a meaningful impact in one of the world's most exciting biotechnology sectors, we'd love to hear from you.