Principal Scientist - Biochemistry/Enzymology

4,000 professionals, 0 days wasted, 1 incredible purpose. Together, we are beating cancer.

Principal Scientist - Biochemistry/Enzymology

Salary: From GBP50,400 - GBP57,400 per annum depending on experience

Reports to: Group Leader Mechanistic Pharmacology

Department: Research and Innovation

Contract: 12 month fixed term contract (maternity cover)

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (flexible working requests considered if they meet business needs)

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge

Closing date: Tuesday 19th March 2024 at 23.59. This vacancy may close earlier if a high number of applications are received or once a suitable candidate is found, so please do not delay submitting your application to avoid any disappointment.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That's why we're looking for someone talented, someone determined, someone like you.

We currently have an opportunity within our Drug Discovery team for an experienced and passionate Principal Scientist to bring scientific leadership to the design, prosecution and analysis of biochemical assays and bespoke mechanistic data, based at our Babraham Research Campus facilities in Cambridge. This is an exciting opportunity and time to join us as we start to implement our new 5-year plan.

About CRUK Drug Discovery

As the world's biggest medical research charity, we've helped bring eleven new cancer drugs to market. However, there is still an urgent need to bring more effective treatments to patients faster.

We have recently developed a new approach to driving therapeutic innovation through the creation of Cancer Research Horizons (CRH). We have brought together Cancer Research UK's established drug discovery teams under one organisation and leadership team, combining our unique pipeline of world class biology, cutting edge technology platforms and clinical expertise to 1) bring new treatments to patients faster and 2) tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs by seeking out more radical ideas and embracing risk in our bid to achieve success.

What will I be doing?

Our new strategy sets out to bring deeper mechanistic understanding at the molecular and cellular level to all stages of projects, from Idea to pre-clinical candidate.

This role is focussed on designing and developing physiologically-relevant biochemical assays to characterise cancer targets in detail at the molecular level, enable high-throughput screening, profile the structure-activity and structure-kinetic relationships of small molecules, and characterise their mechanism of action to inform dose prediction and clinical efficacy.

The successful candidate will drive innovative ways of working through keeping abreast of cutting-edge biochemistry and enzymology. They will form an integral part of the Cancer Research Horizon Drug Discovery team working alongside our industry and academic partners to progress novel cancer targets towards patient benefit.

What skills will I need?

We are seeking an accomplished scientific expert with the following skills and experience:

• A BSc, MSc or PhD in biochemistry or in vitro pharmacology; relevant experience may be substituted for education
• Significant experience in a drug discovery environment of dissecting enzyme and small molecule inhibitor mechanisms
• Detailed understanding of steady-state and pre-steady-state enzymology. Experience in Modelling and Simulation will be an added bonus
• Detailed theoretical and practical understanding of biochemical assays and detection technologies, with a particular focus on physiologically-relevant systems
• Significant experience of assay development for a range of target classes
• Demonstrated scientific leadership skills with ability to give strategic direction
• Credible external reputation, as evidenced though publication, presentation at key conferences, and a strong personal network

What will I gain?

Every one of our employees contributes to our progress and is supporting our work to beat cancer. We think that's impressive.

In return, we make sure you are supported by a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies, and processes to enable you to do your job well.

Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more.

We don't forget people have lives outside of work too and so we actively encourage a flexible working culture.

Our work - from funding cutting-edge research to developing public policy - will change the world. It's exciting to be part of our team.

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.