Senior Assay Development Scientist

About us

Pictura Bio is a rapidly growing biotech company specialising in building instant pathogen tests using advanced microscopy and machine learning. We are a spinout from the University of Oxford and our technology comes from 6 years of research in the Department of Physics. Pictura Bio is well funded and will provide an opportunity to help develop transformative point of care diagnostic technology.

Job description

We are seeking a self-motivated, energetic, and diligent Senior Assay Development Scientist to join our development team. The position is a lab-based role, demanding an enthusiastic and proactive mindset, along with good organisational skills, an ability for problem solving, flexibility and attention to detail. The successful candidate will take a lead role within the Assay Development Team with responsibility for leading projects and the management of junior staff. There will be opportunities for training and development and encouragement to contribute to implementing new technologies and processes. Candidates with experience in developing pathogen diagnostics or extensive expertise in fluorescence microscopy for assay development are particularly encouraged to apply.

Overview of the role

The position will hold a key role in the development, optimisation and validation of biology that underpins our future rapid multi-pathogen testing platform. You will be working at a senior level within Pictura Bio’s Assay Development group and will play a key role in leading development of new capabilities in our pathogen detection systems. You will deploy diverse techniques to support different stages of platform development, as well as perform assays to generate validation data. In addition, you will assist with the daily running of the lab and maintenance of the equipment. Work will involve the use of many techniques such as fluorescence microscopy, handling and preparing pathogenic samples. A good understanding of microbiology, biochemistry and molecular biology with experience with any of these techniques is essential, as is previous experience with biochemical assay development and working at Biosafety Level 2. You will also prepare data for reports and presentations within the company and assist in the drafting and review of laboratory protocols. Additionally, you will be responsible for overseeing laboratory management and the direct supervision of junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Independently run and manage projects; design, perform and analyse experiments and data and provide intellectual input to all projects in their team and across the company

• Identify issues or areas of development, thinking creatively to come up with solutions and where appropriate instigate and drive collaborations to solve them

• Independently manage their time and that of juniors to ensure project deadlines are met

• Writing project plans and reports, take responsibility for training of junior staff and plan and assign tasks to them

• Troubleshoot equipment and methods within the process of development of the assay

• Help to test and optimise sample consumable and ensure good integration with the assay hardware

• Liaise with third party users of the prototype consumables to gather externally validated data

• Validating selected pathogens in CL2 conditions

• Analyse, interpret and summarise results for presentation at internal meetings

• Contributing to discussions and sharing research findings with colleagues

• Documenting research findings clearly in an electronic lab book

• Assist in producing and collating procedures, guidelines and reports

• Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively to meet changing demands of projects

• Maintain best practice, quality standards and accurate record keeping

• Keep up to date with and support implementation of new technologies and protocols

• Communicate effectively with all members of the company and with collaborators

• Thrive in an environment of openness, teamwork and accountability

• Adapt existing and develop new scientific techniques and experimental protocols

• Contribute ideas for new research projects

Additionally, you will:

• Identify potential platform improvements.

• Ensure that your work is conducted safely, and legally in accordance with the highest standards of data protections.

• Adhere to the values of the company policies and practices.

Job Requirements

Essential

• PhD (with a minimum of five years of laboratory experience), in a biology, bioengineering, biomedical sciences or biophysics related discipline

• Expertise in fluorescence microscopy

• Practical experience of assay development in an industrial or product development environment

• Broad knowledge of biological sciences with an emphasis on imaging pathogenic systems

• Capacity to execute tasks independently to achieve company goals on an established timeline

• Superb communication, organisation, attention-to-details, multi-tasking, adaptability and teamwork skills

• Knowledge of, and appreciation for, laboratory safety procedures

• Enthusiasm to work in a dynamic research environment

Desirable

• Ability to design and perform experiments such as real-time PCR and protein purification

• Expertise in fluorescence labelling techniques

• Expertise in microorganism immobilisation techniques

• Expertise in handling and preparing pathogen samples for imaging.

Location: Oxford (Wood Centre for Innovation, Headington)

Salary: Competitive + benefits

Hours: Full Time, onsite – laboratory based

Applicants should provide a full CV with a list of their publications to date and a cover letter describing their suitability for the position.

Applications should be sent to jobs@pictura.bio

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