Scientist I

PassFort; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

PentaBind is an AI‑driven aptamer discovery company with a fully integrated wet lab, accelerating therapeutic oligo research and diagnostics. We collaborate across biology, chemistry and AI to advance projects in oncology and neurodegeneration.

We are seeking a Scientist I to support early R&D and client projects, perform aptamer discovery workflows, and contribute to biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology assays in our London-based facilities.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in biochemistry, chemical biology, cell biology or a relevant discipline.
• Outstanding experimental (lab) skills with attention to detail.
• Experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, and/or drug discovery specifically in hit identification and qualification.
• Proficient in mammalian cell culture.
• DNA and protein handling skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational, data-archiving and presentation skills.
• English language speaking, listening and writing fluency.

Responsibilities

• Perform and optimise aptamer discovery workflows
• Design, execute, and troubleshoot biochemistry and molecular biology experiments
• Execute SELEX, NGS, SPR, qPCR, flow cytometry and confocal studies
• Suggest ideas, formulate plans and strategy proposals
• Maintain thorough documentation of laboratory work
• Analyse and interpret experimental data with clear conclusions
• Support IP generation including patents and publications
• Collaborate with ML scientists and discovery teams

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

DNA handling

Protein handling

Laboratory techniques

Data analysis

Communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in biochemistry or related field

Ph.D. near completion

Tools

PCR

Nucleic acid QC

SDS-PAGE

SPR

BLI

ELISA

FP

Job description

About the Role

As a Scientist I, you will support internal R&D projects, client projects and drug discovery programmes in the context of an early-stage AI drug discovery company. You will focus on performing aptamer discovery pipelines as part of our AI-wet-lab feedback loop, for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This position will also support and perform biophysical, biochemical and nucleochemistry functions with respect to the in vitro design and optimisation of aptamer-based cytotoxic conjugates and radiopharmaceuticals. You will play a key role in the progression of internal therapeutic assets through the development of critical pharmacology assays and gain exposure to key aspects of preclinical discovery including in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic and efficacy studies. The position will offer outstanding opportunities to work on state‑of‑the‑art high‑throughput screening platforms, automation, and work at Imperial, the Translation & Innovation I‑HUB and London Biofoundry. This role is ideally suited for a motivated experimental scientist who is passionate about oligonucleotides, pharmaceuticals and technology.

About Us

PentaBind is the first aptamer discovery company using AI and a fully‑integrated wet laboratory to design a new generation of alternative oligo therapeutics. Our pioneering platform already improves the experimental search space by 300x, generating therapeutic aptamers for urgent clinical needs within oncology, rare and neurodegenerative diseases. In collaboration with global partners, we also design custom aptamers for a variety of industries including diagnostics, health monitoring, and manufacturing.

We are a VC‑backed pre‑seed startup with a lab in White City, supported by Hoxton Ventures, Twin Path, Entrepreneur First, KQ labs among others. Currently a team of 12, and growing to 21 people in the next 12 months. PentaBind has been shortlisted as New Startup of the Year by Cancer Research Horizons, and also as Deep Tech Investment of the Year by the UK Business Angels Association, a prestigious award sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Our Vision

PentaBind envisions a future where AI powers truly personalised and precise healthcare through next‑generation aptamer technology. We’re revolutionising medicine, transforming how therapies, diagnostics, and manufacturing are designed to improve lives worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform and optimise aptamer discovery workflows
• Design, execute, and troubleshoot biochemistry and molecular biology experiments
• Execute previously standardised SELEX, NGS, SPR, qPCR, flow cytometry and confocal based studies
• Suggest your own ideas, formulate plans and strategy proposals to present to the senior management
• Maintain excellent documentation of laboratory work
• Analyse and interpret experimental data, providing clear conclusions and recommendations to internal teams
• Support efforts in intellectual property generation, including patents and publications in high‑impact journals
• Collaborate with the ML scientists, drug discovery, assay development and chemistry teams

Minimum Requirements

• Have obtained, or currently finishing, a Ph.D degree in biochemistry, chemical biology, cell biology or a relevant discipline
• Outstanding experimental (i.e., lab) skills with an attention to detail
• Experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, and/or drug discovery specifically in hit identification and qualification
• Proficient in mammalian cell culture
• DNA and protein handling skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organisational, data‑archiving and presentation skills
• English language speaking, listening and writing fluency

Nice to Have Requirements

• Industry experience
• Hands‑on experience with PCR, nucleic acid QC, and protein QC (e.g., SDS‑PAGE)
• Experienced in biophysical characterisation of nucleic acid‑protein or nucleic acid‑ligand interactions (one of, e.g., SPR, BLI, ELISA, FP)
• Familiarity with delivery systems for nucleic acids, such as lipid nanoparticles or conjugates.
• Publication in a major scientific journal with molecular biology/biochemistry contributions

About the Company