Molecular Biology Research Associate – Cloning & Gene Synthesis

Milton Park; England; Remote; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group life cover

Critical illness cover

Pension with 5% company contribution

Private medical insurance

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Company socials

Refreshments throughout the week

Team meals

Training and development opportunities

Flexible working opportunities

Cutting edge science experience

Job summary

Wild Bio, an Oxford University spin-out, is seeking a motivated Research Associate with a strong background in molecular biology to help run and improve our cloning pipeline. You’ll take constructs from in silico design through assembly, transformation and quality control to sequence-verified plasmids, and manage our gene synthesis pipeline.

This is a hands-on role for someone who takes care over precise bench work, enjoys cross-team collaboration, and is keen to question established approaches

Qualifications

• A BSc/MSc degree in biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or a related scientific field, or evidence of equivalent work experience.
• At least one year’s experience in a molecular biology lab, covering the full cloning workflow: experimental planning, in silico cloning, primer design and PCR, bacterial transformation, plasmid preparation and quality control, including sequence verification.
• A good understanding of the theory behind common cloning methods (e.g. Golden Gate, Gibson Assembly, or Gateway).
• Confidence with routine molecular biology calculations (e.g., buffer molarity, dilutions and DNA/RNA concentrations).
• Exceptional attention to detail and a high level of care when following SOPs and recording data.
• The ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary environment, building relationships and gaining trust through honesty, compassion, and authenticity.

Responsibilities

• Deliver cloning projects end to end, from in silico design and primer design through assembly, transformation and quality control to sequence-verified plasmids.
• Manage our gene synthesis pipeline, from designing and placing orders to tracking and verifying what comes back.
• Carry out core molecular biology tasks, including buffer and plasmid preparation and DNA/RNA extraction.
• Collect, organise and analyse experimental results, and maintain accurate records in our databases.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, help troubleshoot experiments, and write and review standard operating procedures.
• As the role develops, contribute to the design of our genome editing constructs, including sgRNA design, working closely with our genome editing scientists.

Skills

Molecular biology

Cloning workflow

Primer design

DNA/RNA extraction

Laboratory planning

Education

BSc/MSc in biology

Job description

Wild Bio, an Oxford University spin-out, is seeking a motivated Research Associate with a strong background in molecular biology to help run and improve our cloning pipeline. You’ll take constructs from in silico design through assembly, transformation and quality control to sequence-verified plasmids, and manage our gene synthesis pipeline.

This is a hands-on role for someone who takes care over precise bench work, enjoys cross-team collaboration, and is keen to question established approaches