Scientist, Biotechnology - Pathogen Pathogen Oxford, England, United Kingdom

<p>At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we're on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity's greatest challenges in four transformative areas:</p> <ul><li>Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology</li><li>Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture</li><li>Climate Change & Managing CO </li><li>Artificial Intelligence & Robotics</li></ul> <p>This is ambitious work - work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you'll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more at </p> Welcome to the Pathogen Project <p>Within this ecosystem, the Pathogen Mission exemplifies EIT's commitment to transformative science. It aims to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases by leveraging whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based metagenomic and pathogen-specific analytical tools. This remit includes the development of a decentralised, sample-to-answer sequencing diagnostic platform for infectious diseases, enabling rapid and accurate analysis of patient samples without prior assumptions. Supported by Oracle Inc.'s cloud-computing scale and security infrastructure, the Pathogen Mission is progressing toward certified diagnostic products for deployment in laboratories, hospitals, and public health organisations worldwide.</p> Job Summary <p>At EIT, we are seeking a motivated, detail-focused <b>Scientist, Biotechnology</b>, to contribute to the early-stage development of a device-based metagenomic pathogen detection platform within EIT Oxford's Pathogen Programme. This work aims to establish proof of concept for a modular workflow that could enable infectious disease diagnosis at or near the point of care.</p> <p>In this laboratory-based role, you will work closely with scientists and engineers to develop, refine and test modular components for nucleic acid extraction, purification and manipulation within a fluidic device architecture. As part of a multidisciplinary team, you will take ownership of generating high-quality data through well-designed experiments, evaluating system performance and informing iterative improvements.</p> <p>You will bring practical experience in nucleic acid handling or enzyme-based systems, together with a strong interest in applying quantitative approaches to experimental biology. Alongside strong experimental execution, you will contribute to experimental design, data interpretation and troubleshooting, using structured, quantitative approaches to support decision-making. Experience with surface chemistry, microfluidics, material interfaces or low-input nucleic acid workflows would be advantageous. You should be comfortable working in a collaborative, data-driven research environment and solving problems in early-stage technology development. This role would suit someone with a strong technical foundation who is ready to deepen their scientific independence and broaden their impact in a multidisciplinary environment.</p> Key Responsibilities <ul> <li>Design, execute and document well-controlled, hypothesis-driven experiments to generate reproducible, high-quality data.</li> <li>Optimise and refine experimental workflows to improve reliability, reproducibility and performance.</li> <li>Apply structured experimental approaches, such as controlled comparisons and parameter variation, to investigate system behaviour and identify key performance drivers.</li> <li>Investigate nucleic acid adsorption, elution and surface interactions across device materials and reagent systems.</li> <li>Evaluate enzyme performance and assay conditions, including the effects of inhibitors, buffer composition and environmental variables.</li> <li>Collect, analyse and interpret experimental data using quantitative methods to inform scientific, engineering and product development decisions.</li> <li>Identify sources of variability in workflows and contribute to improvements in consistency, robustness and usability.</li> <li>Maintain clear, well-structured experimental records and contribute to technical reports, data sharing and cross-functional discussions.</li> <li>Work closely with scientists and engineers to support the integration of biochemical workflows into device and system designs.</li> </ul> Knowledge, Skills and Experience <p>We welcome applicants with a range of experiences and career paths. You may have gained relevant expertise in industry, applied research or academia.</p> <ul> <li>PhD, or equivalent industry experience, in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Bioengineering, Biotechnology or a related discipline.</li> <li>Strong hands on laboratory experience in biochemistry, chemistry and/or molecular biology, with expertise in areas such as surface chemistry, material biomolecule interactions, DNA binding dynamics, nucleic acid extraction or enzymatic activity assays.</li> <li>Strong understanding of experimental design, including the use of appropriate controls, reproducibility and data quality, and the ability to apply these principles in practice.</li> <li>Experience with molecular biology or biochemical techniques relevant to assay, workflow or platform development.</li> <li>Ability to analyse and interpret experimental data in a structured, quantitative manner.</li> <li>Experience troubleshooting experimental workflows and improving performance, robustness or reproducibility.</li> <li>Good laboratory practice, including careful documentation, protocol adherence and high attention to detail.</li> <li>Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team while taking ownership of individual experimental activities.</li> </ul> <p>We recognise that candidates may not meet every listed criterion. If your experience aligns with most of the requirements and you are motivated by the mission, we encourage you to apply.</p> Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience <ul> <li>Experience in assay development or early-stage workflow optimisation.</li> <li>Experience working with complex or multi step laboratory workflows.</li> <li>Exposure to surface chemistry, material biomolecule interactions or microfluidic systems.</li> <li>Familiarity with surface functionalisation or bioconjugation approaches.</li> <li>Understanding of nucleic acid purification, separation or handling techniques.</li> <li>Awareness of sequencing technologies, including Oxford Nanopore and other next generation sequencing platforms.</li> </ul> Key Attributes Scientific and Technical Approach <ul> <li>Methodical and detail-focused, with a strong commitment to generating reliable and reproducible data.</li> <li>Able to work within structured experimental plans while contributing ideas and observations.</li> <li>Eager to learn new techniques, build expertise and apply feedback constructively.</li> </ul> Team Working <ul> <li>Collaborative and effective in multidisciplinary environments.</li> <li>Clear and confident in communicating experimental results, observations and technical issues.</li> <li>Open to shared problem-solving and cross functional working.</li> <li>Proactive in identifying issues and suggesting practical improvements within defined workstreams.</li> </ul> Soft Skills <ul> <li>Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.</li> <li>Analytical mindset with a strong interest in data driven experimentation.</li> <li>Growing independence and sound judgement, including knowing when to seek input or alignment.</li> <li>Able to work effectively in a fast paced research and development environment.</li> </ul> Our Benefits <ul> <li>Salary: £Competitive + travel allowance + bonus</li> <li>Enhanced holiday pay</li> <li>Pension</li> <li>Life Assurance</li> <li>Income Protection</li> <li>Private Medical Insurance</li> <li>Hospital Cash Plan</li> <li>Therapy Services</li> <li>Perk Box</li> <li>Electric Car Scheme</li> </ul> Working Together - What It Involves <ul> <li>You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. In certain cases, we can consider sponsorship, and this will be assessed on a case by case basis.</li> <li>You should be based in, or within reasonable commuting distance of Oxford. Or be willing to relocate for the role.</li> <li>We are committed to sustainable working practices. While occasional peak periods may require flexibility, we support balanced working arrangements and offer flexible working options where possible.</li> </ul><img src="https://www.jobg8.com/Tracking.aspx?HEJlsczeL0t%2fCtQ4Wpfo0dXOQh75NYGKk" width="0" height="0" />