Industrial Liaison Scientist

About Us

Diamond Light Source, the national synchrotron, has a strong track-record in offering commercial services to the global pharmaceutical and biotech industries. We are now looking to expand the Industrial Liaison Group to meet the increasing demand from companies wishing to apply synchrotron methods to their challenging structural research questions in areas ranging from drug discovery to biomedicine. 

About the Role

We now have an opportunity for an Industrial Liaison Scientist to support an array of projects with real-world impact on human health and great importance to the drug discovery business. 

This position is a fantastic opportunity to apply your life science laboratory experience. Our team supports clients with a wide range of projects from establishing crystallisation conditions, collecting diffraction data and solving structures, to running crystallographic fragment screening campaigns. 

We are looking for a passionate laboratory scientist with an interest in structural biology and drug discovery to provide MX services, including fragment screening, to industrial clients. Excellent communication skills and a professional service-focused outlook, along with project management and multitasking skills will be of advantage in this position. 

Deliverables:

• Provide a full scientific consultancy service to industrial users of Diamond in the area of macromolecular crystallography including fragment screening using XChem, designing, planning and ensuring successful implementation of experiments to address industrial research problems. 
• For full-service projects, where the industrial user does not participate in the experiment, take responsibility for sample management, data collection and reporting to the customer.
• Assist in management of the Soaking Laboratory, which includes working independently and taking ownership of general and specific lab organisation, enforcing tidiness, ensuring appropriate stocking of reagents and labware, and generally ensuring that the laboratory at all times can function as a user facility.
• Assist in keeping fragment libraries up to date, including regular quality control, maintaining an accurate and generally accessible inventory, and ensuring historical records are always available.
• Assist in the operation of the beamlines for users including carrying out a user support role via the local contact system (specifically for industrial users).
• Assist in the marketing of the service by making presentations at conferences, participating in company visits etc.

About You

The successful candidate will have a degree in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics or Structural Biology. 

You will also have: 

• Experience and knowledge in macromolecular crystallography
• A track record of advanced laboratory work and organisational skills
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills
• Capacity to work independently as well as in teams 

Desired experience of: 

• Working in a commercial environment
• Compound management
• Crystal handling and soaking
• Synchrotrons/X-ray beamlines
• Programming, especially Python and Java 

Benefits

Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure, public holidays, 2 annual volunteering days and flexible working hours. We also offer an excellent defined benefit pension scheme. Staff also have access to a range of amenities on site including a nursery, cafes, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable. 

To Apply

Please use the online application process to apply and tell us why you believe you are suitable for this role. 

The initial closing date for applications is 29th September, however applications will be reviewed and interviewed on an ongoing basis until this vacancy is filled.

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