Principal/Senior Assay Development Scientist - Genetic Code Expansion

constructivebio; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Company pension (matching up to 8%)

Life assurance

Private medical insurance

Group income protection

Long term incentive scheme

Job summary

Constructive Bio is seeking an experienced assay development scientist to advance the company’s tRNA display platform. You will drive assay performance, throughput, and reproducibility while enabling discovery and characterisation of orthogonal translation machinery.

You will combine deep molecular biology expertise with quantitative assay development, establishing robust QC and scalable workflows across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Substantial industry experience in assay development or related screening platforms is required.
• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology or related field (or significant equivalent experience).

Responsibilities

• Lead the optimisation, validation and scale-up of tRNA display and related screening platforms.
• Design and execute studies to understand assay performance and variability, implementing improvements based on data.
• Develop controls, standards and quality metrics for reliable data generation.
• Establish robust, transferable workflows for high-throughput and automated operation.
• Collaborate with bioinformatics to analyse NGS-based screening data.
• Partner with automation teams to support workflow industrialisation and scale-up.
• Author protocols and SOPs; document assay development activities.
• Provide scientific leadership and mentorship across assay programs.

Skills

Assay development

RNA technologies

NGS library prep

Data interpretation

DoE approaches

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology

Tools

In vitro transcription

qPCR

NGS library prep

Magnetic bead workflows

Primer design

Job description

Who we are:

Constructive Bio is a growing Cambridge based biotechnology company built on a simple conviction: the molecules that matter most are often the ones that can’t yet be made.

We’ve rewritten the genetic code give cells access to new ncAA chemical building blocks - expanding the space of proteins that can be designed, engineered, and manufactured. Our platform moves from unexplored molecular territory to industrial-scale production, turning scientific possibility into manufacturable reality.

From next-generation medicines to advanced materials, Constructive shifts the question from “can we make this?” to “what should we make next?”

We’re proud to be aspinout from Professor Jason Chin's laboratory at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. You can learn more about the Chin lab achievements here.

Since launching in 2022, Constructive Bio has raised $73 million in venture capital, including a $15 million seed round and a $58 million Series A, to commercialise our breakthrough synthetic genomics platform. Today, we are advancing a growing pipeline of programmes based on world-leading science, enabling the precise engineering of biology to create transformative medicines, materials and sustainable products.

As a fast-growing biotech at the front of generative biology, we're building a team of exceptional people who share our ambition to redefine what's possible with biology.

Join us and help shape the future of biology.

What we are looking for:

We are seeking an experienced assay development scientist to lead the continued evolution of Constructive Bio's proprietary tRNA display platform. The role will focus on enhancing assay performance, throughput, automation and reproducibility while enabling the discovery and characterisation of novel orthogonal translation machinery.

You will be able to combine a deep expertise in molecular biology, nucleic acid chemistry and quantitative assay development with the ability to identify sources of assay variability, establish rigorous quality controls and develop scalable workflows.

Working closely with teams across Bioinformatics, Automation, Research and Development, you will play a critical role in ensuring assay performance, data quality and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the optimisation, validation and scale-up of Constructive Bio's tRNA display and related screening platforms.
• Design and execute studies to understand assay performance, identify sources of technical bias and variability, and implement improvements based on quantitative analysis.
• Develop and deploy appropriate controls, standards, spike-ins and quality metrics to enable reliable data generation.
• Establish robust, transferable workflows suitable for high-throughput and automated operation.
• Collaborate with bioinformatics teams to ensure appropriate analysis of NGS-based screening and selection data.
• Partner with automation and technology teams to support workflow industrialisation and scale-up.
• Author technical reports, protocols and SOPs and contribute to documentation of assay development activities.
• Provide scientific leadership, technical mentorship and troubleshooting support across assay development programmes.
• Contribute to strategic decisions relating to platform development, experimental design and technology direction.

About you:

• Substantial industry experience in assay development, screening technologies, selection platforms, or related areas is required. Academic experience will only be considered in exceptional cases where a significant, industry-equivalent track record can be demonstrated.
• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry (or a related scientific discipline) or significant equivalent experience.
• Proven track record of developing, optimising and validating complex molecular biology or biochemical assays from proof-of-concept through to robust, reproducible workflows.

• Strong hands-on expertise in RNA and nucleic acid technologies, including complex RNA handling, in vitro transcription, reverse transcription, primer/probe design, magnetic bead-based workflows, quantitative PCR and NGS library preparation is essential.
• Experience with genotype-to-phenotype selection technologies such mRNA display, ribosome display, phage display or related directed evolution platforms is welcomed.
• Strong understanding of assay performance characteristics, including robustness, reproducibility, sensitivity, specificity, dynamic range and sources of experimental bias.
• Experience designing and implementing controls, standards, reference materials and quality metrics for quantitative biological assays.
• Experience analysing and interpreting complex biological datasets, including NGS-based and count-based screening data.
• Demonstrated ability to independently evaluate scientific evidence, challenge assumptions and make data-driven recommendations.
• Strong communication, documentation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

Great to haves:

• Experience in genetic code expansion, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, translation systems, synthetic biology or tRNA biology.
• Experience with deep mutational scanning, library screening technologies or other massively parallel experimental platforms.
• Knowledge of physical-organic chemistry relevant to nucleic acid modification, RNA chemistry or assay development.
• Experience developing automated laboratory workflows and applying Design of Experiments (DoE) approaches to optimisation.
• Familiarity with high-throughput screening environments and laboratory scale-up activities.
• Experience establishing quality control frameworks and transferring assays between teams, operators or sites.

Other details:

• We are open-minded regarding the structure of this appointment and welcome discussions with exceptional candidates about permanent, contract, full-time or part-time arrangements. We are primarily focused on identifying the right expertise and experience to support the continued development of our platform.
• Our facilities are in Whittlesford, South Cambridgeshire. Given the hands-on nature of assay development and experimental work, you will be expected to work frequently on-site.

Salary and benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Discretionary annual performance bonus
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Company pension (matching up to 8%), life assurance, private medical insurance and group income protection schemes
• Opportunity to be part of our employee long term incentive scheme
• Newly fitted, purpose-built facilities in Whittlesford, South Cambridge, with on-site parking and excellent rail links to Cambridge,Londonand Norwich
• A collaborative and pioneering environment at the cutting edge of synthetic genomics and engineered translation

Please note that our office space is dog friendly.

Our principles:

We are committed to building a culture founded on trust, respect and collaboration, where curiosity, openness and scientific excellence thrive.

• We imagine:We think big and plan our own path for success.
• We pioneer:Wetake actionand grow together as one to break moulds.
• We deliver:We take ownership and work together to deliver excellence.

Constructive Bio is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.