Senior Scientist – Protein Design & Enzymatic Assays

Scarlet Therapeutics Ltd; Bristol; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotechnology firm in Bristol is seeking a Senior Scientist with a PhD to lead protein design and enzymatic assay development. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in optimising proteins and developing assays, with a strong background in mammalian cell culture. This role offers the chance to work in a transformative environment within a pioneering firm committed to innovation and diversity. Applicants must be authorized to work in the UK and should send their CV and motivation letter.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field required.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in mammalian cell culture and enzymatic assay design.
• Strong experience in protein design and optimisation.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimise proteins for expression and stability.
• Develop and validate enzymatic assays to assess protein function.
• Express recombinant proteins in mammalian cell lines.

Skills

Protein design

Enzymatic assay development

Mammalian cell culture

Problem-solving skills

Data analysis

Education

PhD in Biochemistry or related field

Job description

Job Title : Senior Scientist – Protein Design & Enzymatic Assays

Company : Scarlet Therapeutics

Location : Science Creates Old Market, Midland Road, Bristol

Application closing date : 10th Janurary 2026

Start date : Flexible, H1 2026

Salary : Flexible, (depending on experience)

Job Description :

We areseekinga highly skilled Senior Scientist with a PhDto leadprotein design, enzymatic assay development, and protein expression activities. The successful candidate will bring strongexpertisein designing andoptimisingproteins,establishingrobust enzymatic assays, and expressing proteins in mammalian cell systems. Experience with lentiviral vectors and cell line engineering—ideally in red blood cells or erythroid systems is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Design andoptimiseproteins for expression, stability, and enzymatic activity
• Develop,validate, andoptimiseenzymatic assays to assess protein function and kinetics
• Express recombinant proteins in mammalian cell lines, with a preference for red blood cell or erythroid lineage systems
• Design, produce, andoptimiselentiviral expression vectors
• Drive strategies to increase protein expression and functionality through construct and vectoroptimisation
• Perform detailed data analysis, interpretation, and documentation of experimental results
• Independently design and execute experiments, including troubleshooting and method development
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support research and development objectives

Key Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Protein Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum of 3years experiencein mammalian cell culture and enzymatic assay design
• Strong experience in protein design andoptimisation(e.g.sequence engineering, domainoptimisation, stability improvements)
• Demonstratedexpertisein developing and running enzymatic assays
• Experiencewith enzyme kinetics, assay scaling, and high-quality data generation
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and protein expression
• Experience with lentiviral vectors or other gene delivery systems
• Excellent experimental design, analytical, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with red blood cells or erythroid progenitor systems
• Background in protein engineering, gene therapy, or synthetic biology
• Familiarity with enzyme kinetics, assay scaling, and high-quality data generation

About Scarlet Therapeutics

Scarlet Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing transformative therapies. Building on more than a decade of world-renowned research in Bristol, UK, the team at Scarlet is pioneering unique technology to harness the potential of blood as medicine, positioning the company to become the global leader in the field of therapeutic red blood cells.

We offer a fantastic working environment that is part of Science Creates, a Bristol-based deep tech ecosystem, combining specialist incubator facilities, a network of strategic partners and a dedicated venture capital fund.

Scarlet Therapeutics is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives to drive our innovation and progress. To qualify for this position, you will need to be authorized to live and work in the UK.

In your application, please send a CV and a covering letter stating your motivations and what you think you could bring to the role to [e-mail].