R&D Scientist I/II (Molecular/Cellular)

R&D Scientist I/II (Molecular/Cellular Biology)

Abercorn Sinclair is proud to partner with Asklepios Biopharmaceutical (AskBio), as they seek to appoint a new Scientist to their product development team based at the Roslin Innovation Centre, Edinburgh.

Established in 2001 and headquartered in North Carolina, they now have three European sites where they continue to advance genetic technologies and develop lifesaving adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies.

AskBio’s co-founder pioneered the use of AAV almost 40 years ago demonstrating it could be cloned for therapeutic purposes. His ground-breaking research propelled the most exciting field in medical research today and their current clinical pipeline includes a range of central nervous system, neuromuscular, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders with new research initiatives underway.

The research facility in Edinburgh continues to expand and we have several opportunities across the development teams.

The role:

You will join the product R&D team to develop the next generation of gene therapy treatments. The ideal candidate will have a good grounding in a broad range of molecular techniques and cellular biology, ideally gained within a gene therapy setting.

There are two available posts, individuals with the following experience could be of significant interest: AAV/viral prep/animal tissue analysis/RNA/DNA/small molecules.

Skills and Experience:

• Experience with mammalian cell/tissue culture, cloning,  sequence analysis and manipulation, RT-PCR is essential
• Experience with a variety of cellular and molecular biology techniques such as cell differentiation,  transcription profiling, assay development, ELISA, western blot, immunohistochemistry, transcription activity assays, is desirable
• Diligent recording of data; high attention to detail; experience with ELN and databases
• An understanding of hypothesis-driven experimentation
• Working in a GLP environment

Other responsibilities:

• Lab management, ensuring appropriate levels of control over scientific data, equipment, and materials, maintaining appropriate levels of documentation, record keeping, and procedures
• Collaboration with the broader team to complete project deliverables
• Interact with senior members of the research team to ensure appropriate experimental design and analysis
• Housekeeping duties in the laboratory including stock management
• Health and Safety and GMO risk assessments

Person profile:

• Innovative and natural problem solver; able to “join the dots” of disparate information
• Detail-oriented and able to perform precise work in the laboratory
• Confident and clear presentation of data, verbally and through written reports
• Effectively manage own time/workload to meet project deliverables with minimal oversight
• Motivated to learn and master new methods and techniques

The candidate:

There is flexibility within the team to consider different levels of experience from MRes (plus some industry experience), or a recent Ph.D./Postdoc looking for their first industry role.

The opportunity:

This is a unique opportunity to join an exciting, rapidly expanding gene therapy company that has a proven history of developing highly effective, life-changing therapies.

You will be joining a highly skilled team with the opportunity to work at the forefront of gene regulation and play a vital role in the development of future gene therapy treatments.

You can expect to receive a competitive salary plus additional benefits including, bonus, life cover, critical illness, health, pension, cycle to work, onsite gym, on-site café.

For a confidential discussion please contact our retained partner, Keith Tocher at Abercorn Sinclair.

About Abercorn Sinclair

Abercorn Sinclair is a specialist, technical recruitment consultancy based in Edinburgh. We provide permanent, interim, and contract solutions across the science & technology sectors.