Senior Scientist, Assay Development

Our vision is a future where cell & gene therapies are safer, more efficient, and affordable for patients. To this end we are building a technology platform that enables fast, sensitive, quantitative and cost-effective characterization and optimization of genome editing technologies.

Starting with our powerful DNA break mapping technology INDUCE-seq™, our data-driven platform reveals gene editing off-targets throughout the genome, enabling precise characterisation of how genome editors interact with and alter our genomes. This information is essential for the efficient development of novel genome editing systems, will unlock many new editing targets in the genome and enable life-saving therapies that are safer by design.

We are seeking a senior scientist with strong experience in next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay development and nucleic acid–based technologies to join our R&D team in supporting both existing products and the development of new applications.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development, validation and productization of NGS–based assays and workflows.
• Plan and execute experiments aligned with project and company objectives, working both independently and in collaboration with senior R&D scientists.
• Analyse and interpret complex datasets, applying critical thinking and structured problem-solving to troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges.
• Develop robust assay workflows by characterising samples, reagents, and reaction conditions, identifying critical parameters that impact performance and reproducibility.
• Generate high-quality, customer-facing data packages, including benchmarking against existing methods and evaluation of key performance metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility.
• Translate lab-scale methods into scalable processes, supporting reagent formulation, quality control, and transfer to manufacturing.
• Contribute to innovation by identifying improvements to existing technologies and developing new approaches aligned with company strategy.
• Document and validate experimental protocols to ensure reproducibility, compliance, and effective knowledge transfer.
• Communicate findings clearly through internal reports, presentations, and external-facing materials such as application notes or publications
• Collaborate cross-functionally with data science, product, and commercial teams to ensure scientific outputs drive product development and customer value.
• Stay informed on advances in NGS technologies and the broader genomics field to identify emerging opportunities and maintain technical competitiveness.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, or related field, with 0–7 years of relevant postgraduate experience.
• Experience developing and optimising NGS-based assays and workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to identify a molecular assays limitations or failure modes and implement innovative, data-driven improvements.
• Strong hands-on expertise in NGS platforms and applications (e.g., long-read, epigenomics, single-cell, spatial).
• Deep practical knowledge of NGS library preparation and workflow optimisation, such as working with low-input or complex samples.
• Broad experience in nucleic acid techniques, including PCR variants, hybridisation-capture methods, enzymatic manipulation, and extraction workflows.
• Track record of independent experimental design, execution, and troubleshooting with minimal supervision.
• Evidence of innovation and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with ability to clearly present technical findings to multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience contributing to or leading development, validation, and benchmarking of assays, including generation of performance metrics (e.g. sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility) and comparison to state-of-the-art methods.

 Desirable

•  Experience translating R&D workflows into robust, scalable processes, including documentation, QC strategy, and technology transfer to manufacturing.
• Experience of RUO or IVD product development in the life science sector.
• Knowledge of cell and gene therapy applications, with awareness of translational challenges and regulatory considerations.
• Experience of operating standard lab automation platforms (e.g. Hamilton, Tecan etc).
• Data analysis skills using bioinformatics tools and statistical methods to interpret genomics data.