Scientist, DNA Extraction and Library Prep - Pathogen

Scientist, DNA Extraction and Library Prep - Pathogen

EIT - Ellison Institute of Technology

Oxford, United Kingdom

We are seeking a Scientist - DNA Extraction and Library Preparation to support research and product development within EIT Oxford’s Pathogen Programme. This is a lab-based role focused on designing, executing, and reporting on assays that measure the performance of individual components within novel, automated metagenomic pathogen detection workflows.

You will work with both standardised and clinical samples to help inform the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases in humans. The role involves close collaboration with scientists and engineers in small, agile teams to deliver key project milestones.

Key Responsibilities

• Design experiments, undertake standardised chemical or enzymatic assays or develop novel methods and metrics, where necessary, for quantifying modules performance within a workflow;
• Prepare, record and present results for quantitative and qualitative assays and development;
• Work in partnership with the diagnostics workflow, fluidics and instrumentation teams to ensure that appropriate methods for benchmarking are conserved and transferable between manual and automated workflows.

Requirements

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• PhD or equivalent experience in Biochemistry, Chemistry, or related field with specialisation in assay development and validation;
• Hands-on experience of molecular assay development and associated data analysis;
• Experience in identifying and quantifying non nucleic acid analyte contamination;
• Proficiency in laboratory techniques: spectrophotometry, fluorometry, microscopy -light/fluoresce;
• Experience in undertaking complex manual molecular workflows/protocols.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Experience in quantitative and qualitative assay development and implementation e.g. qPCR, RT-qPCR, FISH, ELISA;
• Proven ability to design and execute experiments to characterise polynucleotides, enzymes and other analytes;
• Understanding of, and experience with, library preparation and sequencing with Oxford Nanopore products;
• Experience working with low-quality or chemically contaminated samples;
• Experience in flow cytometry, FACS and/or cell sorting.

Key Attributes

Scientific and Technical Expertise:

• Expertise in nucleic acid quantification from various biosamples (e.g. blood, saliva, tissue, stool, environmental samples);
• Experience in quantifying chemical contaminant carry over in complex laboratory workflows;
• Familiarity with biosafety and sterile technique for working with human or high-path environmental samples;
• Proficiency in molecular/microbiology techniques (e.g. spectrophotometry, fluorometry, microscopy qPCR, RT-PCR, gel electrophoresis, bacterial culture);
• Track record of innovation (e.g. commercial products, patents and/or publications).

Team Working and Project Management:

• Ability to manage elements of a project and collaborate with internal stakeholders;
• Experience managing or mentoring a small number of junior scientists in a team.

Soft Skills:

• Strong problem-solving mindset with a hands-on, experimental approach;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences;
• Ability to manage time, prioritise tasks, and work on multiple projects simultaneously.