Senior / Principal Scientist – Target Discovery

My client, an exciting and growing Biotech in Cambridgeshire is currently looking for a Senior or Principal Scientist to work in the Target Discovery Team.

You will have a strong scientific background in discovering novel targets in the field of immunology and immune-oncology, combined with demonstrable mechanism of action studies. The successful candidate will work closely with internal and external collaborators and serve as a project lead to establish biologically relevant assays using fibroblasts, often in co-culture with primary fibroblasts, immortalised cells, disease-relevant organoids, primary immune cells etc. You will be comfortable working with large RNA seq datasets, and CRISPR-Cas9 screens, as well as a range of multi-omics capabilities and will strive for technological innovations to enable continuous improvement and optimisation of my client’s target discovery and validation activities.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with our data analytics team to integrate and interrogate scRNA seq datasets to derive lists of targets for screening, as well as our antibody discovery team to deliver targets meeting the requirements for drug discovery program initiation. You will be responsible for project leadership and overall effectiveness of a group of scientists including providing project direction, development and implementation of work efforts within the group and managing resources to meet the team’s goals. It is expected that you will split your time between working in the laboratory and management of external collaborations as required.

• Utilise biological and technical knowledge and experience to design and develop complex cellular assays including fibroblast-organoid co-cultures to support the target discovery engine
• Lead implementation and ensure success of assays and screens internally and through collaborations and contract research
• Anticipate and develop target validation activities to ensure delivery of new projects from the target discovery engine
• Coach, mentor and supervise laboratory scientists, ensure delivery on their objectives, and develop to their full potential
• Communicate complex project strategies, plans and results to internal and external meetings

• PhD in relevant scientific discipline (e.g. immunology, fibroblast biology, immune-oncology) with industry experience
• Well developed laboratory skill set
• Experience of complex cellular co-culture assays, exceptional ability to develop new assays and solve technical problems
• Experienced at managing complex external collaborations/partnerships
• Excellent oral and written communication and organisational skills, able to work independently on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrable track record of successful research supported by publications (peer reviewed publications, oral presentations, posters & patent filings)
• Passionate, inclusive, open-minded, collaborative and forward-thinking

Desired but not essential

• Able to conceptualise new ideas or hypotheses to identify new targets and programmes