Scientific Manager – High Throughput Laboratory

Flagship Pioneering Co-Op Program; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Quotient seeks an experienced Scientific Manager to lead the High Throughput Laboratory, coordinating Histology, Flow Cytometry, Molecular Biology and Sample Management to move samples efficiently through workflows.

You will translate priorities into detailed work plans, manage resources and personnel, and ensure high-quality, compliant scientific output across multiple disease programmes in a collaborative matrix environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with significant relevant industry experience (typically 6+ years). MSc or PhD considered in combination with appropriate hands-on laboratory leadership experience.
• Experience working within high-throughput laboratory environments and/or rapidly scaling biotechnology organisations, with the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining high standards of scientific quality and operational delivery.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating laboratory workflows across multiple concurrent scientific projects.
• Experience line managing or mentoring laboratory users.
• Hands-on expertise in a range of skills across Histology, Flow Cytometry and/or Molecular Biology.
• Familiarity with ELN and/or LIMS systems for laboratory documentation and sample tracking.
• Broad understanding of tissue and cell biology, genomics and molecular biology workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate competing priorities whilst maintaining scientific quality and delivery timelines.
• Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to scientific quality, safety and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day laboratory execution across multiple disease programmes, ensuring samples progress efficiently through Histology, Flow Cytometry, Molecular Biology and Scientific Sample Management workflows.
• Translate project priorities into detailed laboratory work plans and schedules ensuring resources, equipment and personnel are effectively allocated to deliver programme milestones.
• Partner closely with Disease Project teams and leadership to prioritise work, manage competing demands and resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Monitor laboratory throughput, turnaround times, sample progression and resource utilisation, proactively identifying risks to delivery and implementing corrective actions.
• Maintain clear visibility of sample status throughout the laboratory workflow and communicate progress, risks and delays to project teams.

Skills

People leadership

Communication

Stakeholder mgmt

Lab operations

Project coordination

Histology

Flow Cytometry

Molecular Biology

ELN/LIMS familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree with relevant experience

MSc or PhD considered

Tools

ELN systems

LIMS systems

Job description

Quotient is seeking an experienced Scientific Manager to lead the day-to-day execution and delivery of our High Throughput Laboratory.

Reporting to the Head of High Throughput Laboratory, this role is responsible for coordinating laboratory activities across Histology, Flow Cytometry, Molecular Biology and Sample Management, ensuring samples move efficiently through laboratory workflows and disease programmes are delivered safely, on time and to the highest scientific standards.

Working closely with Research Project Management, Scientific Leadership, Genomic Scientists, the High Throughput Laboratory and Assay Development teams, you will translate project priorities into effective laboratory execution, balancing competing demands across multiple programmes while maintaining visibility of sample progression, laboratory capacity and resource utilisation.

This is a highly visible operational leadership role suited to someone who enjoys bringing structure to complex laboratory environments, developing high-performing teams and ensuring laboratory operations run efficiently. You will combine scientific credibility with excellent organisational skills and a passion for coaching others, creating an environment where individuals thrive and operational improvements are successfully embedded into routine laboratory practice.

Success in this role will be measured by your ability to deliver high-quality scientific data whilst maintaining efficient laboratory throughput, developing an engaged and capable team, and ensuring projects progress smoothly through the High Throughput Laboratory.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Delivery

• Coordinate day-to-day laboratory execution across multiple disease programmes, ensuring samples progress efficiently through Histology, Flow Cytometry, Molecular Biology and Scientific Sample Management workflows.
• Translate project priorities into detailed laboratory work plans and schedules ensuring resources, equipment and personnel are effectively allocated to deliver programme milestones.
• Partner closely with Disease Project teams, the Head of High Throughput Laboratory, scientific manager peers and Research Project Management to prioritise work, manage competing demands and resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Monitor laboratory throughput, turnaround times, sample progression and resource utilisation, proactively identifying risks to delivery and implementing corrective actions.
• Maintain clear visibility of sample status throughout the laboratory workflow, ensuring timely communication of progress, risks and delays to project teams.

People Leadership

• Line manage and develop direct reports through coaching, regular feedback and performance management.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within the laboratory team.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training and competency assessment of laboratory staff.
• Ensure appropriate laboratory cover and resource planning to support changing portfolio demands.

Scientific Delivery

• Remain scientifically hands-on where required, supporting laboratory activities and troubleshooting technical issues to maintain programme delivery.
• Provide technical oversight across Histology, Flow Cytometry and Molecular Biology workflows, ensuring high standards of scientific quality and reproducibility.
• Support implementation and operational adoption of new laboratory processes, technologies and workflow improvements in partnership with Assay Development and Automation.
• Work closely with scientific leaders to understand future project requirements and ensure laboratory readiness to support programme delivery.

Laboratory workflows supported by the team include:

• Histology: Tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning, histochemistry (H&E, IHC) and slide preparation.
• Flow Cytometry: Tissue dissociation, FACS/FANS, cell and nuclei counting, immunostaining and sample preparation.
• Molecular Biology: DNA/RNA extraction, nucleic acid quality assessment, library preparation and sequencing submissions.

Laboratory Operations & Compliance

• Ensure laboratory activities comply with HTA requirements, COSHH regulations, quality systems and internal laboratory procedures.
• Maintain accurate sample tracking and laboratory records using ELN/LIMS systems, ensuring traceability throughout the sample lifecycle.
• Monitor laboratory KPIs, including throughput, turnaround time, quality and resource utilisation, using data to drive continuous improvement.
• Build strong working relationships across Research, Project Management, Discovery Partnerships and supporting operational functions.

Qualifications

You are an experienced laboratory scientist with a passion for leading people and coordinating complex laboratory operations. You enjoy balancing multiple priorities, developing others and ensuring high-quality science is delivered efficiently within a collaborative matrix environment.

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree with significant relevant industry experience (typically 6+ years). MSc or PhD considered in combination with appropriate hands-on laboratory leadership experience.
• Experience working within high-throughput laboratory environments and/or rapidly scaling biotechnology organisations, with the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining high standards of scientific quality and operational delivery.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating laboratory workflows across multiple concurrent scientific projects.
• Experience line managing or mentoring laboratory users.
• Hands-on expertise in a range of skills across Histology, Flow Cytometry and/or Molecular Biology.
• Familiarity with ELN and/or LIMS systems for laboratory documentation and sample tracking.
• Broad understanding of tissue and cell biology, genomics and molecular biology workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate competing priorities whilst maintaining scientific quality and delivery timelines.
• Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to scientific quality, safety and compliance.

Desirable

• Experience supporting HTA-licensed activities and Human Tissue Act compliance.
• Experience with spatial transcriptomics or other advanced genomics technologies.
• Experience working collaboratively with laboratory automation teams to implement workflow improvements.
• Experience supporting implementation of new laboratory technologies or workflow improvements.
• Knowledge of Lean, Operational Excellence or continuous improvement methodologies.

Values and Behaviours

• Encourage respectful disagreement and cultivate open-minded, ego-free interactions that continuously improve scientific thinking and execution.
• Seek diverse perspectives, practice active listening and ensure every contribution is valued.
• Recognise the impact of your behaviour, communication and leadership style, fostering trust, accountability and collaboration.
• Demonstrate a Quotient-first mindset, balancing project delivery, laboratory priorities and organisational goals.
• Challenge convention thoughtfully, embrace change and continuously seek better ways of delivering science.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in the delivery of Quotient’s research portfolio, leading a high-performing laboratory team that enables exceptional science through operational excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement.