An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a newly funded, early-stage biotechnology company developing a highly ambitious programmable therapeutics platform for oncology.
Having recently secured significant seed funding, the company is expanding its biology team as it progresses from platform validation into preclinical development across multiple cancer indications. Their technology is focused on engineering programmable therapeutic systems that can distinguish cancer cells from normal tissue based on disease-defining biology, with the aim of creating a more selective approach to oncology treatment.
This is a hands-on cell biology role at the centre of the company’s discovery and preclinical engine. You will generate the in vitro data that determines whether therapeutic constructs selectively activate in cancer cells while sparing normal tissue, directly informing which candidates progress toward animal studies and further development.
Why Join?
- Join a recently seed-funded biotech at a pivotal stage of scientific growth
- Work on a novel oncology platform designed around programmable, target-selective therapeutic biology
- Generate the key in vitro data that drives construct selection and programme advancement
- Work across multiple oncology programmes using diverse cancer and normal cell line panels
- Play a central role in shaping which candidates move into in vivo studies and preclinical development
About the Role
As Cell Biology Scientist, you will execute the in vitro assays that determine whether therapeutic constructs selectively activate in cancer cells while sparing normal tissue.
Working across multiple oncology programmes, you will maintain a diverse panel of cancer and normal cell lines, run high-throughput discrimination assays, and generate quantitative data to support construct selection and programme progression. This is a highly hands-on role suited to a scientist who is comfortable managing parallel experiments, working with mammalian cell culture systems and producing rigorous, well-documented assay data.
Your work will sit at the interface of cell biology, CRISPR-based therapeutic development, oncology and preclinical translation.
Key responsibilities
- Executing target-selective kill-discrimination assays across multiple oncology programmes using panels of cancer and normal cell lines
- Generating dose-response, multiplexing and specificity data in support of preclinical data packages
- Maintaining mammalian cell cultures across a diverse panel of cancer and normal cell lines
- Performing flow cytometry, including multi-colour analysis and sorting
- Running viability, cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays, including CellTiter-Glo, Annexin V and PI-based assays
- Performing reporter assays, including luminescent and fluorescent readouts
- Carrying out transfection and/or electroporation of CRISPR components
- Running parallel experiments across multiple programmes with strong organisation, documentation and data integrity
- Working closely with molecular biology and translational teams to connect construct design with functional cell-based performance
About the Candidate
Essential
- BS, MS or PhD in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or a related discipline
- 3–5 years of mammalian cell culture experience, including work with cancer cell lines
- Experience working with diverse cell line panels across cancer and normal tissue models
- Proficiency in flow cytometry, including multi-colour analysis and cell sorting
- Experience with cell viability and cytotoxicity assays, such as CellTiter-Glo, Annexin V and PI
- Experience with transfection and/or electroporation of CRISPR components
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple parallel experiments
- Rigorous approach to experimental documentation, assay execution and data quality
Desirable
- Experience with CRISPR editing readout methods, including T7E1, ICE and/or amplicon NGS
- Hands-on experience with luminescence or fluorescence reporter assay systems
- Experience supporting construct selection or candidate progression in a discovery or preclinical setting
- Prior experience working in a fast-moving biotech or platform biology environment
This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on cell biology scientist to join a recently funded oncology biotech at an early and highly influential stage, generating the data that will directly shape which therapeutic candidates advance toward preclinical development.