Principal Scientist - High Throughput Screening

200 staff. Limitless Potential. One team - Cancer Research Horizons.

Principal Scientist - High Throughput Screening and Sample Management

Starting salary: From £50,400 - £57,400 per annum depending on experience

Reports to: Group Leader or Associate Director, Mechanistic Pharmacology

Department: Research and Innovation

Contract: Permanent

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

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge

Closing date: Sunday 24th March at 23.55 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 lead our High Throughput Screening and Sample Management activities.

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 laboratory-based role is focussed on bringing scientific excellence and strategic leadership to the design, prosecution, and robust statistical analysis of biochemical and cell-based High Throughput Screening. Striving to screen under the most physiologically relevant conditions, as well as proposing and implementing continuous improvements to High Throughput Screening processes, will be important aspects of this role. Additional experience of managing and dispensing small molecules and biotherapeutics in a drug discovery environment is desirable. There may also be an opportunity for line management responsibility.

The successful candidate will drive innovative ways of working through keeping abreast of cutting-edge HTS and Sample Management science, defining high-Throughput Screening strategies to identify novel small molecules for oncology targets and ensuring delivery of high quality HTS data. 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 BSs, MSc or PhD in biological science such as biochemistry, pharmacology; relevant experience may be substituted for education
• Demonstrated scientific leadership skills with ability to give strategic direction
• Significant experience in a drug discovery environment of leading biochemical and cell-based High Throughput screens of small molecules
• Significant experience in liquid handling and automated dispensing
• Significant experience of analysing large datasets with appropriate statistical rigour
• Detailed understanding of biochemical and cell-based assays and detection technologies, with a particular focus on physiologically-relevant systems
• Credible external reputation, as evidenced though publication, presentation at key conferences, and a strong personal network
• Experience in a drug discovery environment of managing and dispensing small molecules and biotherapeutics including use of ECHO and Access platforms, and LIMS and sample management databases is desirable
• Experience of managing the performance and development of line reports is desirable

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.