Senior Laboratory Research Scientist (SLRS) - Crystallography/Drug Discovery

ZipRecruiter; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biomedical research institute seeks a Senior Laboratory Research Scientist specializing in crystallography and drug discovery to support early-stage drug development. This full-time position involves extensive collaboration in a dynamic and state-of-the-art research environment, contributing to groundbreaking studies in cancer biology. Join a team committed to exploring innovative therapies and making a significant impact in drug discovery.

Benefits

Generous Leave

Pension Scheme

Health & Well-being Support

Work-Life Balance Programs

Training and Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• Postdoctoral or equivalent experience required.
• Extensive experience with ÄKTA systems and chromatographic techniques.
• Experience with crystallization robots like Mosquito, NT8.

Responsibilities

• Enable robust purification of high-quality proteins.
• Determine crystal structures of target proteins.
• Train and supervise junior team members.

Skills

Molecular cloning

Recombinant protein expression

Crystallography

Biophysical quality control methods

High-throughput crystallography techniques

Education

PhD in structural biology

Tools

CCP4

Phenix

Coot

Job description

Job Description

Senior Laboratory Research Scientist (SLRS) – Crystallography/Drug Discovery

Reports to: Head of Structural Biology Science Technology Platform

This is a full-time, fixed-term (three-year) position under Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Working pattern: Monday – Friday

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose, and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick fosters collaboration, innovation, and exploration across many disciplines. It is a space where the brightest minds pursue big ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative, curious culture. We have removed traditional boundaries of departments and disciplines, adopting an open approach that supports every researcher. This freedom allows us to take risks and conduct high-quality, pioneering research. Our space for discovery aims to translate science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

This exciting project is a collaboration across the Francis Crick Institute, focusing on translating research led by Dr. Simon Boulton in the Double Strand Break (DSB) Metabolism Laboratory. Researchers in this lab have identified cellular processes contributing to the ALT mechanism of telomere maintenance in certain cancers (ALT-positive cancers). The collaboration aims to translate insights from ALT biology into therapies for these cancers. This role offers experience in drug discovery interfaced with disease biology, guided by pharmaceutical research experts and leaders in DNA Damage Repair. The project is funded by a 3-year £3M programme supported by the Chris Banton fund and LifeArc, involving a multidisciplinary team across several laboratories and platforms at the Crick.

What you will be doing

We seek a creative, highly motivated structural biologist with expertise in crystallography and drug discovery to support early-stage drug development on the ALT project.

You will work within the Structural Biology Science Technology Platform (SB STP), which includes protein expression, purification, biophysics, X-ray crystallography, and cryo-EM. The STP collaborates on biological questions across disciplines such as cancer, infectious disease, immunology, neurology, and developmental biology.

Your responsibilities include all aspects of protein structure determination: sample preparation, data collection and processing, structure determination, and data presentation. You will contribute to ongoing projects and process optimization.

As a Senior Laboratory Research Scientist, you will:

• Enable robust purification of high-quality, homogeneous recombinant proteins for structural studies.
• Determine crystal structures of target proteins bound to fragments or compounds.
• Train and supervise junior team members or students.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant literature, communicate key developments, and implement new techniques in your research.

About you

You will bring:

• A PhD in structural biology with postdoctoral or equivalent experience.
• Extensive experience in molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression, and automated purification using ÄKTA systems and chromatographic techniques.
• Expertise in biophysical quality control methods to ensure crystallography-grade proteins.
• Experience in protein X-ray crystallography, including crystallization (using robots like Mosquito, NT8), data collection, structure determination, and refinement.
• Proficiency with crystallographic software packages such as CCP4, CCP4cloud, Phenix, and Coot.
• Deep knowledge of high-throughput crystallography techniques.

See the full job description and learn more about the STP.

About working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone at the Crick plays a vital role in advancing our mission and shaping our culture:

• Bold: We encourage creative, dynamic, and innovative ideas and approaches, and are not afraid to do things differently.
• Open: We promote collaboration and visibility of our activities to the outside world.
• Collegial: We show respect, work cooperatively, and support our community.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered, regardless of background, ethnicity, ability, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Confident: Committed employer and will make reasonable adjustments if needed—just let us know when you apply. For application assistance, email: [e-mail].

Learn more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Visas: Sponsorship available for eligible applicants to work in the UK.
• Generous Leave: 28 days annual leave plus additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with up to 16% employer contributions.
• Health & Well-being: 24/7 GP services, occupational health, mental health support, eye care vouchers, and discounted healthcare.
• Work-Life Balance: Dependents' care backup, childcare support allowance, and annual leave purchase options.
• Crick Networks for support and social events.
• Perks: Gym discounts, bike schemes, shopping discounts, on-site restaurant, and social spaces.
• Development & Recognition: Training, mentoring, and performance-linked progression.