Senior Leader, Advanced Plant Genome Technologies

Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary + travel allowance

Bonus

Pension

Life Assurance

Income Protection

Private Medical Insurance

Therapy Services

Perk Box

Electric Car Scheme

Childcare benefit

Job summary

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford invites a visionary Group Leader to head a transformative research programme in advanced genome technologies for plant biotechnology. This senior role will shape a newly established Plant Biology Institute and drive impact across discovery to commercial opportunities.

You will build a high‑performing, interdisciplinary team, lead programs in plant transformation, regeneration, and DNA/RNA delivery, and collaborate across EIT's ecosystem to tackle

Qualifications

• Leader of research group(s) within academia or industry.
• Recognised thought leader in their field.
• Proven ability to manage scientific output for a team of PhDs/Post doctoral researchers.
• Experience delivering against long term strategic research programs.
• Experience of managing a large team of researchers and scientists including interdisciplinary workstream integration.
• Demonstration of commercial awareness and versatility of research that could serve a wide range of different applications.
• Project management, communication and resource allocation experience.
• Ability to build both internal and external relationships. Working collaboratively with others outside of their discipline.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and expansion of a newly established plant sciences research institute which is aiming to scale rapidly over the next 5 years to become a global leader in plant science research aimed at tackling humanity's greatest challenges.
• Establish, lead, and continuously evolve a flagship research programme in advanced genome technologies, with a particular emphasis on novel plant transformation, plant regeneration, and/or novel DNA/RNA delivery systems.
• To work with internal teams to define the path to impact for the research program. To design and execute research programs and to ensure that all research programs are value and purpose driven.
• To recruit and lead a top talent team of research scientists including group leaders, post docs and PhD candidates. To hire based on competency, experience and values. To manage based on clear performance targets and with accountability. To maintain a positive, engaged culture, in line with EIT Oxford values.
• Contribute to planning and communicating the scientific direction of the advanced genome technology program which is aimed at changing the art of the possible in plant engineering through advances in plant transformation technologies (large scale DNA delivery, targeted insertions, engineering agrobacterium, high throughput approaches and/or automation).
• Direct the activities of the research group by supervising some projects personally and overseeing projects delegated to group members. You will be expected to provide the intellectual energy and independent thinking necessary to lead a programme of cutting‑edge research and to shape the overall aims and success of the group.
• Drive rigorous experimental design, execution, and data interpretation, ensuring robust and reproducible scientific outcomes
• Managing research program through stage gated milestones, with active, no/no‑go decisions based on validated research data. Designing research programmes to enable delivery requirements to be considered through development and implementation. Identifying pre‑emptive decisions to enable future scale‑up
• Manage project resources - including personnel, equipment, and budgets - in coordination with the senior leadership team
• Ensure research is conducted ethically and in compliance with EIT policy, regulatory guidance, and best scientific practice
• To generate, maintain and manage collaborations with key teams across EIT Oxford and in the wider scientific and commercial ecosystem to accelerate the path to scientific discovery and impact. To maintain key stakeholder relationships
• To work, where appropriate, with the translation team within EIT to translate the results of research into commercial opportunities consistent with EITs humane endeavours. To recognise and act on opportunities for the creation and protection of intellectual property

Skills

Leadership

Thought leader

PhDs/Postdocs management

Strategic program delivery

Team management

Commercial awareness

Project management

Cross‑functional collaboration

Job description

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford invites a visionary Group Leader to head a transformative research programme in advanced genome technologies for plant biotechnology. This senior role will shape a newly established Plant Biology Institute and drive impact across discovery to commercial opportunities.

You will build a high‑performing, interdisciplinary team, lead programs in plant transformation, regeneration, and DNA/RNA delivery, and collaborate across EIT's ecosystem to tackle