Principal Scientist

Multus; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the biopharmaceutical industry is seeking a Principal Scientist to drive innovative cell culture media development. This role demands strong leadership in a collaborative team environment to deliver high-impact solutions in cell therapy and biologics manufacturing. The candidate will lead a team to optimize formulations and ensure project alignment with strategic objectives, making a significant contribution to the bioeconomy.

Benefits

Highly competitive salary

Stock option plan

Collaborative team environment

Office snacks

UK visa sponsorship

Qualifications

• PhD with at least 5 years of experience in biotech, biopharmaceuticals, or related industry.
• Experience in Cell & Gene Therapy or Biologics.
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and media optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and optimization of serum-free media for mammalian cell lines.
• Drive project success and link research priorities to company goals.
• Manage team dynamics and mentor R&D talent.

Skills

Cell culture media development

Team leadership

Agile methodologies

Data integrity

Analytical skills

Communication

Technical mentorship

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

PhD in a related field

Job description

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Multus is on a mission to improve human and planetary health by designing cell culture media to grow the industrial bioeconomy.

Our approach combines AI, robotic automation, and cell biology to design better-performing cell culture media formulations faster. We work with companies making essential medicines, food, and materials to accelerate and scale their impact from lab to market.

Today, we strive to be the leading partner for media development and supply for the Cellular Agriculture, Biopharmaceutical and Advanced Therapies sectors.

Multus is a fast-paced, collaborative team that enjoys working hard in pursuit of our mission. We’ve created a unique work environment with a team unified in our drive to create a lasting and meaningful impact on a global scale.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Multus is seeking a dynamic and experienced Principal Scientist with a track record of cell culture media development for Biologics and Cell & Gene Therapy manufacturing.

You will lead a team of scientists to develop high-performance cell culture media using high-throughput robotic automation, AI and multi-omic datasets. We work in small, agile teams so you will be able to shape how we operate and what we achieve as a company.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge solutions at the interface of AI, robotics and cell biology, serving as the engine of innovation that drives Multus’ enduring ability to accelerate and scale the impact of the bioeconomy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead Media Development Projects

• Lead the design and optimisation of custom, serum-free, chemically-defined media formulations for mammalian cell lines (e.g. CHO, HEK293, T cells) across applications including therapeutic protein production, CAR-T cell expansion, and lentiviral/AAV vector production, collaborating directly with clients to understand their specific requirements and deliver tailored solutions that meet their goals.
• You will drive your team's success, taking full ownership of delivering high quality work to agreed deadlines.
• Directly link research priorities to the company's strategic goals. Ruthlessly focus R&D efforts on areas with the highest potential impact for our customers and long-term impact.
• Cultivate a collaborative environment internally and seek strategic external partnerships. You’re expected to embrace agile methodologies to adapt quickly to new data, changing priorities, and market dynamics with an open mind.
• You will work closely with the company management team to ensure adequate resourcing across projects, identifying bottlenecks and proposing/implementing solutions to overcome these.
• You will have a proactive approach to ensuring data is delivered on time, with the ability to troubleshoot when needed to prevent project delays.

Strategic Leadership & Company Representation

• Collaborate with leadership on strategic planning, technical roadmaps, resource allocation, and team growth strategy to align R&D with business objectives.
• Represent Multus externally at industry conferences and events to build networks and elevate the company's reputation as a leading cell culture media partner.
• Inform business development by leveraging industry relationships to identify partnership opportunities and market trends.

Manage and Align

• Manage a team of 4-5 FTEs
• Actively attract, develop, and retain exceptional R&D talent across the team.
• Drive alignment and growth through active mentorship and cross-functional collaboration with partners, customers, and internal teams, maintaining visibility and involvement at both the bench and strategic levels.
• Support individual soft and hard skills development through setting clear goals, giving candid feedback, and providing technical guidance towards meeting consistently high standards.
• You share your work and insights to build collective autonomy and shared understanding across the company.

Drive Process Innovation

• You commit to rigorous scientific methodology, data integrity, and staying at the forefront of knowledge in our field.
• Build systems, processes and routines to foster critical thinking, continuous learning, and principled, data-driven decision-making.
• Identify, develop and implement new technologies/methodologies within the team.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• A PhD with at least 5 years of experience and an outstanding track record in biotech, biopharmaceuticals or a related industry.
• You will have relevant industrial experience with a strong scientific background in Cell & Gene Therapy or Biologics
• At least 3 years of hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and media optimisation for HEK293, CHO, T cells, iPSCs, or other relevant cell lines
• You’ll have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with customers, external stakeholders, and specialists from your own and other fields (e.g.data science, production, automation, and commercial).
• You will have experience in line managing teams (3+ FTE), where you will be the first port of call for any technical and personal issues.
• A willingness to operate within startup environments, including delivering to tight timelines, the ability to react to changing priorities or plans and to help with laboratory operations.
• Excellent attention to detail, analytical and critical thinking skills
• An ability to build effective working relationships with proven teamwork skills.
• An inquisitive nature, are self-motivated and eager to learn.
• A desire to work within a fast-paced, data-driven environment.
• Experience with scalable media development for GMP manufacturing and bioreactor scale-up, including familiarity with quality systems, GMP considerations, and omics-based approaches to media design (e.g. metabolomics) is desirable
• A proven ability to deliver to tight timelines.

BENEFITS

Highly competitive salary

Stock option plan

Collaborative and driven team

Company socials and office snacks

UK visa sponsorship and relocation (if needed)

OUR VALUES

TENACITY – WE PUSH THE BOUNDARY WITHOUT FEAR OF FAILURE

COLLABORATION – WE WORK TOGETHER INCLUSIVELY, CONSTRUCTIVELY & EFFICIENTLY

CANDOUR – WE TALK TO EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND INTEGRITY

OUR ED&I STATEMENT

Multus is an equal-opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces inclusion, diversity, and belonging.

At Multus, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels they belong, are enabled to thrive, are respected for who they are, know that they matter, and are empowered to contribute meaningfully.

We believe that diverse perspectives and inclusive collaboration drive innovation and make us stronger together.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

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